After episodes of snow, ice and strong winds Wednesday in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, the low continues its course northwards, generating large amounts of snow and winds comparable to those of a hurricane in places.
A man uses a snowblower in Port Washington in New York.
Photo : Reuters / Shannon Stapleton
—
New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo on Thursday morning declared a state of emergency for the cities of New York, Westchester and Long Island, due to extreme weather conditions.
It is not a normal storm. If you don’t have to hit the road, don’t. Be careful and stay safe.
I am declaring a state of emergency for New York City, Westchester and Long Island due to extreme weather conditions.
This is not a normal storm. If you do not have to be on the roads, don’t be. Use caution and stay safe. #blizzard2018 pic.twitter.com/2ql6TDHSeB
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) January 4, 2018
–
A state of emergency was also declared in Georgia and Virginia given this powerful depression, described as a “weather bomb” by the American weather services.
Up to 45 centimeters of snow was expected in eastern New England, 12 inches in Boston and up to 8 inches in New York, where all schools are closed.
Blizzard warnings were also in effect from North Carolina to Maine, where winds as strong as 113 km / h knocked down electrical wires. Some 100,000 homes and businesses are without electricity in the north-east of the country. This number could increase as the storm intensifies. About 100 warm-up centers have been established in 34 cities in Connecticut, which have mobilized 634 snowploughs, in addition to some 250 private contractors who will work to clear the pavement.
View larger image (New window)
A car parked in a flooded street near Boston Harbor on Thursday.
Photo : Associated Press / Michael Dwyer
—
Coastal flooding made roads impossible in Massachusetts, including the cities of Boston, Lynn and Cape Cod. Boston firefighters had to rescue a man trapped in his car at a flooded intersection.
Eastern Massachusetts and most parts of Rhode Island were expected to receive up to 45 centimeters of snow, at a rate of 7 centimeters per hour.
The Florida Panthers-Bruins game scheduled for tonight at TD Garden in Boston has been postponed due to the storm.
The storm has played a role in the deaths of 13 people in the past week, particularly due to road accidents and cold weather.
View larger image (New window)
A Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 diverted from John F. Kennedy Airport has landed at Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, New York.
Photo : Reuters / Handout .
—
Air transport disrupted
Nearly 5,000 flights were canceled Thursday in the United States due to inclement weather on the east coast. At New York’s three major airports, three-quarters of flights were canceled, according to FlightAware.com.
On the Aéroports de Montréal website, all carriers have canceled their flights to airports in Newark, New Jersey, La Guardia, New York, and Logan, Boston.
The same is true for flights to these destinations from Toronto Pearson Airport.
If you need to travel to these destinations, it is important to check the websites of the airports or your carrier.
–
