Schools, businesses and most offices are closed due to the Avalon’s first major snowfall of the season.

The system started slowly, but as of the lunch hour accumulations started to increase, causing visibility and driving conditions to deteriorate.

Things will get worse over the course of the afternoon as winds pick up according to warning preparedness meteorologist David Neil.

In St. John’s, the winds are set to pick up to around 60 km/h, while some communities on the east coast of the Avalon will see gusts of around 100 km/h.

Neil says it will be a difficult commute home, with the storm peaking in the afternoon and early evening, before clearing out.

Another system is 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.