🗞 Weekend snowstorm hammers Halifax

Happy snow day Halifax!

How are you all faring against the mini avalanche that’s settled over the city? Coast reporter Martin Bauman took it upon himself to get to the bottom of the why behind the two recent storms and whether or not we can expect more precipitation. Scroll on down to check out his story.

If you’re looking for the latest municipal impacts, the most recent HRM update is linked under our Need to Know section.

I hope you all stay warm and dry today!

– Alyssa

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: ❄️ 1°

Tomorrow: ☁️ 0°

Next Day: ☁️ 1°

7-day forecast

🚗 Driving today? Check out the current traffic conditions and ongoing road closures.

SPORTS

7 burning questions as Halifax Wanderers approach soccer pre-season

When the Halifax Wanderers report for preseason training at the end of February, there will be more than the usual intrigue entering the Canadian Premier League soccer club’s new season. For perhaps the first time in the club’s six-year history (and with apologies to a pandemic-shortened 2020 tournament), there are real championship aspirations in Halifax. And more than that, a feeling that another playoff berth won’t satisfy. Such is the gift—and burden—of success: When you’ve had a taste, you want more of it. And the Wanderers had enough in 2023 to stoke a healthy appetite.

Read Martin Bauman’s full story at The Coast.

🤔 Need to know

📚 All HRCE schools are closed today due to the winter weather.

🗣️ As of yesterday evening, here is the most recent update on the storm’s impact on municipal services.

⛵ Support4Culture is a proud supporter of the African Nova Scotian Seafaring Project and other important cultural initiatives. See the impact Support4Culture makes here.*

🗑️ Waste collection scheduled for today has been postponed to Saturday, February 10.

🍽️ Dine Around is on now! And with almost 50 restaurants in Downtown Halifax offering special menus starting at $10, you won’t want to miss out!*

*Sponsored Post

SPONSORED BY CANADIAN MUSEUM OF IMMIGRATION AT PIER 21

Photography in Desperate Places

The two photographers behind a special exhibition discuss how and why they do the work they do.

Crossing Lines: A New Age of Migration is currently on display at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. In it, photographers Darren Ell and Roger LeMoyne combine images of migrations in the world’s border regions with portraits of refugees now living in Canada.

While you’re at the Museum, check out the two fascinating permanent exhibitions: The Canadian Immigration exhibition tells the story of 400+ years of people coming here, and the Pier 21 Story is about the National Historic Site the Museum occupies and the near one million people who arrived there by sea.

WEATHER

Weekend snowstorm hammers Halifax, rest of Nova Scotia

Just when you thought last Monday, Jan. 29, brought us one heck of a snow dumping, Mother Nature seems hell-bent on Round Two. Continued weekend flurries and strong winds have prompted Environment Canada to issue both a snowfall warning and blowing snow advisory for all of central Nova Scotia. All HRCE schools are closed on Monday, Feb. 5. On Sunday, the heavy snowfall brought about the cancellations of more than two dozen flights out of Halifax Stanfield International Airport up until Monday afternoon. Halifax Transit suspended buses from 1pm on Saturday, Feb. 3 until around noon on Sunday.

More than 40 centimetres of snow has fallen across the HRM since Friday, Feb. 2, as a so-called cut-off low pressure system sits atop Halifax like a schoolyard bully waiting to hear "uncle"—and more is on the way.

According to Environment Canada, another 15 to 25 centimetres of snow could still fall over Halifax by the time the snowstorm tapers to scattered flurries on Monday afternoon.

Read more on the weekend storm at The Coast.

🗞️ In Other News

🚨 The Halifax Regional Police are informing the public that Harvey Joseph Venus, a high-risk sex offender, has been released in the HRM. 

🚍 A Halifax Transit bus driver is facing impairment charges after a single-vehicle crash last week. 

📱 Nova Scotia is pondering the idea of a cell phone ban in schools across the province. 

🚣 Halifax’s very own Lisa Roland has set a rowing record for the fastest women’s pair to cross the Atlantic along with partner Lauren Champion.

🫄 Canada’s fertility rate has reached a new low: 1.33 children per woman.

🔌 Nova Scotia Power is considering two new “time-varying” rate plans that have been tested over the past three years in an attempt to lower power bills.

🦠 Strep A cases continue to rise and cause hospitalizations and death across Canada, including in Nova Scotia. This comes after a January 9 announcement stating the country had hit a record amount of cases in 2023.

🗓️ Things To Do

Looking for something to do this week? Check out these Coast picks:

🗓 Live Jazz: Joing Gabe Mink & Friends for a night of suave jazz at Obladee Wine Bar | Feb. 7 | 7pm | $5

🗓 Nova Scotia Mass Choir: In honour of African Heritage Month, the Nova Scotia Mass Choir will be performing “upbeat, inspirational and joyful music” at the Captain William Spry Public Library | Feb. 7 | 7pm | Free

🗓 Road to the Junos: Get your tickets to this week’s Road to the Junos where you’ll hear performances from Aquakulture and Jah’mila at The Marquee Ballroom | Feb. 9 | 8pm-11:30pm | $10

Find more Halifax events in The Coast listings

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍀 Prepare for St. Paddy’s Day: Lake City Cider’s Green Ginger cider is back in honour of the March 17 holiday. It’s available for delivery, pick-up and take-out.

🍟 La Poutine Week Festival: It’s Poutine Week in Halifax! Grab a poutine from one of the participating restaurants and celebrate the Canadian cuisine while also supporting local.

🛍️ Shop Talk

New merch: Taz Records has dropped new merch—crewnecks with printed vintage Taz Records ads. Check them out here.

Market mania: Thanks to the snow, The Brewery by Quinns postponed its Valentine Market to February 10 from 11am to 5pm. Stop by and shop vintage finds, crafts and receive a tarot card reading.

👀 In Case You Missed It

• The CBRM has declared a local state of emergency following the weekend storm.

• The World Pond Hockey tournament in New Brunswick has been cancelled due to a lack of ice from a warmer-than-normal winter. 

• A new study shows almost half of all Canadians feel they don’t have enough money saved for retirement. 

• The NHL has announced players in the league will be allowed to participate in the 2026 and 2030 Olympics.

That’s it!

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