FOG BLOG WEATHER LOG: FIRST BIG WINTER STORM HITS AVALON & ST. JOHN'S NL , CLOSES SCHOOLS, OFFICES~

St. John's shuts down all its facilities as first winter storm blankets Avalon Peninsula Schools, municipal facilities shut down The City of St. John's shut down all of its facilities Tuesday as a the first winter storm of the season blanketed the region.

By mid-afternoon, the storm turned out to be not as severe as forecast.

But the closures, including all recreation centres, the dump and city hall, had already happened.

The towns of Conception Bay South and Paradise had already closed their offices, and St. John's had already shut down garbage and recycling collection ahead of the storm's arrival.

All courts in St. John's closed for the day, including the sheriffs' office.

Eastern Health cancelled breastfeeding support groups and a mass vaccination clinic at Mount Pearl Square.

This follows the closure of its community walk-in clinic at 50 Mundy Pond Rd. for the day. Schools from a collection of towns in and around St. John's closed for the day, in anticipation of the messy winter weather.

The announcements from both English and French school districts came just after 6 a.m., before snow started falling on the northeast Avalon.

Just before 7 a.m., the closure was extended to schools in Conception Bay North and other regions of the Avalon Peninsula.

Memorial University campuses also closed for the day, but a spokesperson for the university said online courses are still going ahead unless individual instructors make a decision to cancel.

Independent schools, like St. Bon's and King's Bridge Montessori in St. John's, also made a decision early Tuesday to close for the full day.