The winter storm that started dumping snow Friday on the East Coast has entered into its second day. Extremely heavy snow and high wind gusts could reduce visibility to zero, toppling trees and causing power outages. “Find a safe place and stay there”, she beseeched. Residents were warned not to travel during that time. Cars got stuck on icy, snow-covered roads and people lost power as far south as Georgia. Her husband survived after climbing for hours up a 300-foot embankment. An additional 1,274 traffic collisions were reported in North Carolina.
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Conditions quickly became treacherous all along the path of the storm. Two tornadoes arrived along with the snow in Mississippi.
It was unclear exactly how many were stuck. Freezing rain is forecast to continue into Friday evening.
High winds battered the entire East Coast, from North Carolina to NY, reaching 70 miles per hour in Wallops Island, Virginia, late on Friday, whipping up the tides and causing coastal flooding, said meteorologist Greg Gallina of the National Weather Service. At least 14 people have died nationwide – six in North Carolina, three in Virginia, one in Kentucky, three in New York City and one in Maryland, according to CNN. The arrival has now been delayed until at least Monday because of the storm.
The usually bustling New York City looked more like a ghost town.
The storm was forecast to move offshore in southern New England early next week.
How much? It could fall as heavily as 1 to 3 inches an hour and last for more than 24 hours in places, said meteorologist Paul Kocin with the National Weather Service.
“The fuse was just lit”, Myers said.
As food and supplies vanished from store shelves Friday, states of emergency were declared, lawmakers went home, and schools, government offices and transit systems closed early around the region.
But along with the snowballs, snow angels and snowmen come stranded motorists, canceled flights, power outages and fatalities.
The long-anticipated storm exceeded expectations, so forecasters increased their snow predictions for NY and points north. Nashville, Tennessee, was gridlocked by accidents. In Washington, Baltimore, and DE, archdioceses pre-emptively excused Catholics from showing up for Sunday Mass. The freezing rain could result in patches of ice on bridges and overpasses, making travel hazardous.
Temperatures Saturday will reach a high of 26 degrees this afternoon before hitting a low of 17 degrees Saturday night.
Bowser spoke at a news conference surrounded by dump trucks being loaded with tons of salt to treat roads in advance of the big snow. Once it gets to the jet stream, “that’s when the firecracker goes off”. Baltimore had considerable snow but “no major issues” until a fire around 5:30 a.m.in the northeast part of the city, which led to “one serious injury”, city emergency management director Robert Maloney told CNN.
The storm was expected to taper off overnight with officials to lift at 7:00 am Sunday (1200 GMT) a travel ban in NY – home to 8.4 million people – Long Island and on roads into New Jersey.
The near-record snowstorm clobbered the eastern United States Friday and Saturday, shutting down NY and Washington and affecting some 85 million residents. President Barack Obama was one of many who stayed home. Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina addressed anti-abortion activists at the annual March for Life as the storm closed in.
“I wouldn’t say we’re even halfway there yet”.
A similar spirit was evident in Annapolis, where 350 Navy midshipmen signed up to shovel people out. By Sunday afternoon, airlines hope to be back to full schedule to handle business travellers heading out for the week.
One of the unlucky travelers stranded by the storm was Jennifer Bremer of Raleigh, N.C. Bremer flew into Chicago on Thursday morning, carrying only a briefcase, for what she thought would be less than a day of meetings.
Blown snow fills the gaps in a storm window of a home in the Capitol Hill neighbourhood in Washington January 23, 2016. Baltimore/Washington International Airport ceased operations completely. “I wish I could get there but I can’t”. I’m waiting on a phone call from her. …
“I’ve been driving a cab 28 years, but this looks like the worst”, he said.
In the mountains of Craigsville, W. Va., people bought the usual kerosene heaters, propane tanks and gas cans, but also a special item: a rake that helps homeowners get snow off their roofs.
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The forecast suggests that the snow will end late Saturday or early Sunday in the Washington area, “but it doesn’t make it any less risky”, said mayor Bowser.
