ST. JONES — Residents in eastern Newfoundland woke to knee-deep snowdrifts and canceled classes as the first storm of the new year howled outside their windows.
David Neale, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, says the storm dropped about 20 centimeters of snow on St. John's by morning.
Schools were closed during the day and city buses in the capital remained off the roads until late in the evening.
While this was the first storm of 2026, Neal says it was technically the fourth storm to hit the region since Christmas Day.
He says shifting weather systems contributed to above-average snowfall across Newfoundland and parts of Labrador in December.
Neil says that's exactly what's needed to avoid the drought-like conditions that have plagued much of the province this summer.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 5, 2025.
