The winter had nevertheless been mild. But New York faces the blizzard on Tuesday called “Stella” by the national weather service. A storm whose gusts could reach 96 km / h, increasing the feeling of cold and the lack of visibility.
This Tuesday, in the streets of New York, a garbage truck turned snow plow.
MaxPPP/EPA/ANDREW GOMBERT
When they wake up – mid-day in France – snowfall is however less serious than expected. “There could be up to 60 cm of snow in a day, which would make it one of the biggest storms in recent history,” warned the mayor of the city, Bill de Blasio, the day before.
As a precaution, even the state of emergency has been declared by the governor of the State of New York, Andrew Cuomo, while the blizzard is shaping up to be less formidable than announced. By early morning, some six inches of snow, along with hail, ice and gusts of wind, had already fallen over Manhattan.
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A blizzard alert has been issued for 24 hours, since midnight Monday, for what was feared as “the worst snowstorm of the season,” said Melissa Di Spigna, spokesperson for the meteorological service. Strong drops in temperature are expected in particular, down to -7 ° C, Tuesday evening, while they had remained so far this winter “abnormally high”.
With a snow shovel, a New York municipal agent at work on the tar in Times Square on Tuesday.
REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
The most affected areas are New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and southern Connecticut, home to an estimated 19 million people. But snowfall is also expected from North Carolina to the northern state of Maine, via Washington.
The big paralyzed apple
Economic lung of the United States, the city and its 8.5 million inhabitants are however paralyzed by snow: more than 6,800 flights have already been canceled, according to the FlightAware service which lists delays and cancellations. In addition to the airports of New York, those of Washington, Philadelphia, Boston and, to a lesser extent, Chicago, are also affected.
A flood warning has also been issued along the coasts, and power outages are not ruled out. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the closure of all schools and the deployment of 1,600 snowplows and 689 salting machines. As for the exposed sections of the metro, they will be suspended, as well as certain bus and commuter train connections.
Diplomats, traders called to stay at home …
In all the states concerned, residents are instructed to stay at home and to avoid unnecessary travel, especially by car. Civil servants in non-essential services are also encouraged to stay at home.
At LaGuardia airport, construction machinery clearing snow from the runways on Tuesday.
REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
Cultural activities will also come to a standstill, with the closure of the three sites of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of the city’s main tourist attractions.
In Chicago, at O’Hare International Airport, a special device was put in place on Monday to deal with snowfall.
REUTERS / Kamil Krzaczynski
As thousands of delegates are expected to attend a conference on women, the UN headquarters will be closed. Even the first meeting between US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, which was scheduled for Tuesday at the White House has been postponed until Friday.
As for the Wall Street Stock Exchange, it should remain open, but traders are encouraged to work from home.
Full of provisions
As was the case with the Jonas blizzard in January 2016, which saw a record-breaking 70 cm of snow fall and killed 18 people across the East Coast, some New Yorkers stocked up on Monday so they wouldn’t have to. go out the next day.
The governor of the State of New York has also recommended to all to make reserves and to bring in particular “a week of stocks of essential drugs and necessary for babies”.
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