Montreal

Flights cancelled, schools closed as winter storm barrels through southern Quebec

A powerful winter storm has hit southern and central Quebec, with Environment Canada warning some areas will get as much as 50 centimetres of snow.

It's a big dig for Montreal today as monster storm heads east

A woman keeps her head down as she walks along a street during Tuesday's winter storm in Montreal. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)

A powerful winter storm has pounded southern and central Quebec with a vengeance, with highways closed Tuesday night due to major multi-vehicle pile-ups both east and west of Montreal.

A record-breaking 31.6 cm of snow fell in Montreal Tuesday, with more snow still piling on this morning.

All public schools in Montreal are closed today, and most other school commissions in the province are closing schools as well.

55,000 Hydro Quebec clients were without power early Wednesday morning, mostly in the Quebec city area.

Most flights at Trudeau airport are cancelled or delayed. Air Canada announced it would waive the fees to make alternate travel plans.

In Montreal, cars are buried and early morning commuters struggled to dig out as cars were buried almost up to their rooftops.  Those who opted for taxis were waiting in some cases more than an hour.

Many school closures Wednesday

The English Montreal School Board tweeted on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. that all schools, adult centres and the administration building on Fielding Avenue would be closed on Wednesday.

The Lester B. Pearson School Board's schools and offices will also be closed, as will the Commission Scolaire de Montréal and Wilfrid Laurier School Board, along with other boards in the greater Montreal region.


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with files from Associated Press