Environment Canada has ended its winter storm warning for the Avalon Peninsula.

Schools, businesses and government offices throughout the region shut down this morning in anticipation of significant snowfall amounts and high winds, with the worst forecast to hit over the evening commute, but by mid-afternoon the winter storm warning had ended for the metro region.

Meteorologist David Neil says the worst of the snowfall is over with only a few more centimetres expected before the system moves out later this evening.

Neil says the island “dodged a bullet,” with a system that was less intense and tracked further east than anticipated.

He says the storm tracked through an area south of the island just off the US east coast where there is not a lot of data to help with forecasting.

Neil says another significant system and warming temperatures are expected over the weekend with a messy mix ahead.

He says the broad system will bring a mix of precipitation across the island over the weekend and possibly into next week. It is still too early to tell where exactly it will set up.