Snowstorm blasts Eastern Canada, delaying travel

A major winter storm that began in the U.S. South and has been linked to numerous deaths is pounding parts of Eastern Canada, prompting storm warnings and flight cancellations while burying some areas under record amounts of snow.

In Montreal, officials said 43 centimetres of snow had fallen so far at Montreal's Trudeau airport. A spokesman for the city said it could take more than four days to remove the snow.

CBC meteorologist Jay Scotland said the highest snowfall totals are expected south and east of the St. Lawrence, with Environment Canada saying there could be up to 50 centimetres in portions of southern Quebec, including Montreal. Montreal's previous record snowfall for this date was 37.8 centimetres in 1969.

Environment Canada had posted winter storm warnings for Ontario's Niagara region, eastern Ontario, southern Quebec and much of northern New Brunswick, along with parts of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Warnings in Ontario for areas stretching from Picton to Kingston and Brockville were lifted shortly after 9:30 a.m. ET.

Roads throughout the Toronto region, where about 10 centimetres were on the ground, as well as the Montreal area were mostly snow covered.

A dog braves the wintry weather in downtown Toronto on Thursday, after an onslaught of snow hit the city overnight and into the early morning. 
Ontario Provincial Police reported dozens of accidents on highways in the Greater Toronto Area.

CBC Montreal weather specialist Sabrina Maradola reported reduced visibility and slick conditions on the city's streets with cars getting stuck in the snow or veering off roads.

National Weather Service spokesman David Roth said the U.S. northeast's heaviest snowfall would be in northern Pennsylvania, upstate New York and inland sections of several New England states before the storm ends Friday morning.

More than 30 tornadoes were reported, arriving with little warning on Christmas Day in the Gulf Coast region.