Many P.E.I. schools to stay shut Wednesday as snowclearing continues

Schools in central and eastern Prince Edward Island will stay closed on Wednesday as the fallout from a major winter storm continues, the Public Schools Branch said late Tuesday.

"Our schools have been able to make great progress with snowclearing," the branch said in social media posts just after 6 p.m. Tuesday . "However, there are a number of schools which will require an additional day before welcoming everyone back in a safe way."

Five families of schools are affected:Bluefield,Charlottetown, Montague,Morell and Souris.

"A further update will be provided on all other schools/families of schools on Wednesday morning by 6 a.m.," the PSB's post said. "If there are additional delays or closures, it will be announced at that time. This update will be provided on the Public Schools Branch's website, social media channels and local radio stations."

Freezing drizzle advisory issued

That news was followed two hours later by Environment Canada issuinga freezing drizzle advisory forall three counties, warning: "Freezing drizzle can produce thin, hard-to-detect layers of ice. Take extra care when walking or driving in affected areas."

All public schools in the French and English school systems wereclosed for a second day on Tuesday, and UPEI and Holland College campuses also shutdown.

Most provincial offices and libraries were also dark, with the exception of locations in West Prince.

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What cleaning up from the weekend snowstorm looks like, from the skies over Montague and Lyndale, P.E.I.

Many secondary roads in rural areas of Prince Edward Island were still just a single lane after a major snowstorm that started late Friday, and large snow piles continued to blocksome lanes on theTransCanada Highway.

About60 centimetres of snow fell in Charlottetown over the weekendand as much as 82 centimetres was measured in Kings County. That madethe work particularly difficult in the province's central and eastern regions.

All main roads had been cleared, but at 11 a.m.the Kings County plow dispatchersaid blowing snow continued to be a problem in the east, and the depth of the snow meant a higher demand for snowblow-equipped plows that just weren't available in the numbers required.

In Charlottetown, the city was asking drivers to avoid the downtown area and take another route if they see heavy equipment working ahead of them.

"Although the winter parking ban isn't officially in effect during the day, please avoid parking on the streets so our crews can work quickly," the city said in a midday social media post.