NEW YORK — A dangerous winter storm brought significant snowfall, lightning and gale force winds to the northeastern United States on Monday.
The storm dumped a foot of snow across parts of New York state, Ohio and Pennsylvania late Sunday and into early Monday morning, after pummeling parts of the Southeast a day earlier.
“We have had a very strong area of low pressure that has been moving north along the coast, with a significant accumulation of snow that goes from Tennessee and North Carolina to the northeast,” said meteorologist Marc Chenard, of the office. of the weather service in College Park, Maryland.
THE STORM ARRIVED WITH SNOW, LIGHTNING AND WINDS
“And add another 4 inches in the last hour until 2 in the morning! Total so far from Sunday night, 10.2 inches.”
Meanwhile, New York City hoped to be spared most, if not all, of the snowfall. The weather service (NWS) issued a severe thunderstorm alert for the city, including Brooklyn and Queens, on Monday morning.
Forecasters expected wind gusts in the city of about 45 miles per hour, and about 60 miles per hour on Long Island.
Forecasters in Buffalo, New York, said nearly 18 inches of snow had fallen as of 1 p.m. Monday.
City officials recommended avoiding unnecessary travel during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday, and some surrounding towns have imposed travel restrictions.
“Woof! The (last) measurements at 1am were 6.2 inches in the last hour at Buffalo Airport!” the National Weather Service in Buffalo tweeted overnight.
Authorities confirmed that it was an EF-2 tornado, with top winds up to 110 mph.
“And add another 4 inches in the last hour until 2 in the morning! The total so far from Sunday night: 10.2 inches.”
The agency’s meteorologist Alexa Maines said at least 15 inches of snow were reported in Cleveland, Ohio, and another 25 inches in parts of northeastern Ashtabula County.
Tens of thousands of customers were left without electricity in the northeast of the country and hundreds of flights were cancelled. Many COVID-19 diagnostic testing and vaccination centers had to close.
Hundreds of families were left homeless after the passage of the tornado this Sunday.
Meanwhile, New York City received just under 1 inch of snow, which was washed away by overnight rain. The weather service (NWS) reported that intermittent rain and snow could continue through Monday night.
Forecasters indicated that wind gusts in the city could reach a maximum speed of about 45 mph, and about 60 mph on Long Island.
Sleet and rain were the main threats to much of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, where snowfall turned to rain overnight.
NWS experts in Boston expected wind gusts of up to 70 mph.
– .
