WINNIPEG — School divisions across southern Manitoba shut down classes and grounded buses Thursday as lingering effects from Wednesday’s winter storm created hazardous roads. The storm dumped up to 30 centimeters of snow in elevated areas like the Manitoba escarpment and Parklands region.

Environment Canada senior meteorologist Chris Stammers reported Winnipeg escaped with just 2 to 3 centimeters of snow. Harder-hit spots fared worse: Elie and Portage la Prairie tallied 15 centimeters each, Morden saw about 18 centimeters, and Boissevain residents dug out from roughly 25 centimeters.

A snowfall warning persists for western Manitoba and the Interlake region. Officials expect another 2 to 4 centimeters Thursday morning before conditions ease later in the day. Poor road conditions west and southwest of Winnipeg prompted the widespread school measures.

Colony schools remained closed in both the Rolling River and Prairie Rose school divisions, according to division officials. All other schools in those divisions reopened, but buses stayed sidelined.

The Beautiful Plains School Division kept all schools open yet canceled bus service entirely. Mountain View School Division followed suit: schools operated normally, rural buses did not run, though Dauphin city buses rolled as usual.

Brandon School Division canceled classes specifically at its rural sites — Alexander, O’Kelly, and Spring Valley schools. Other Brandon schools welcomed students, with parents deciding on attendance if travel proved risky.

In the Franco-Manitoban School Division, École Saint-Lazare closed for the day. Buses stopped service across the division, while remaining schools stayed open.

Wednesday’s storm barely clipped Winnipeg but hammered rural areas, leaving drifts and icy patches that crews worked overnight to clear. Parents in affected divisions received notices early Thursday urging them to check local updates before heading out. No injuries or major accidents tied directly to school commutes emerged from the chaos.

Environment Canada noted the system’s slow fade-out, with winds gusting up to 50 kilometers per hour adding to travel woes. Temperatures hovered near minus 10 Celsius, but wind chills dipped lower. Forecasters predict clearing skies by evening, though some roads may stay treacherous into Friday.