Residents across the Maritimes are coping with blizzard conditions, including “near-zero visibility,” Tuesday as a winter storm featuring heavy snow and high winds makes its way through the region.

Blizzard warnings are in effect for much of the Maritimes as a low-pressure system that brought snow and high winds to the U.S. eastern seaboard began moving into the area early Tuesday morning.

Winds gusting to 100 kilometres per hour or more combined with heavy snow will make for treacherous travel throughout much of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island throughout Tuesday, Environment Canada said.

Anywhere from 20 to 30 cm of snow could fall, with some areas getting 40 cm or more, the agency predicted.

Schools, including universities, and government offices have been closed throughout the region, and officials warned residents to expect widespread power outages before the storm moves out.

The Halifax Shipyard is closed, and dozens of flights in and out of Halifax Stanfield International Airport were cancelled. Flights were delayed or cancelled at Greater Moncton International Airport, while all flights in and out of Charlottetown airport were cancelled.

“The big story here could be wind gusts,” CTV’s Atlantic Bureau Chief Todd Battis reported from Halifax.

“The gusts could hit the Atlantic up to 110 km/h, which is just shy of hurricane force. So you add 30 cm of light, fluffy snow to that and it could be a real headache.”

The high winds could cause a storm surge along coastal areas, which could lead to flooding in low-lying areas.

Some parts of Nova Scotia were already experiencing ice pellets as midday neared, while mixed precipitation is forecast to spread to P.E.I. by Tuesday evening.

Other areas could get hit with freezing rain before the day is through, Environment Canada said.

The same weather system has much of Newfoundland and Labrador under a range of warnings, from freezing rain and wind warnings, to winter storm and extreme cold.

Freezing rain across the north and east could last all day Tuesday and carry into Wednesday before temperatures rise.

Greater Moncton Airport flights cancelled

All flights in and out of Greater Moncton Airport were cancelled in advanced of a massive Nor’easter storm on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015. (Marc Grandmaison / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Map of eastern Canada snow alerts

Environment Canada weather warnings across the Maritime provinces, Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015.

Storm batters Newfoundland

The powerful winter storm batters St. John's, Newfoundland, early Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015.

Young girl plays in the snow in Trenton, N.S.

Calli Rendell plays under an umbrella during a snow storm in Trenton, N.S., Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015. (Jennifer Rendell / MyNews)

Halifax storm

A pedestrian crosses a street as a major winter storm hits in Halifax on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015. (Andrew Vaughan / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Halifax storm

A plow clears the Grand Parade as a major winter storm hits Halifax on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015. (Andrew Vaughan / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

With a report from CTV’s Atlantic Bureau Chief Todd Battis