From USA Today:
“Winter storms trigger travel
headaches in 30 states; plane slides off taxiway in Buffalo”
An unrelenting winter storm
marching east from the Plains and Midwest on Sunday was one of a series of
weather calamities facing weary Thanksgiving weekend travelers across the
nation making their way home. In the Northeast, a powerful nor'easter was colliding
with cold air to trigger the first heavy snow of the year from New Jersey to
Boston. AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alan Reppert said Pennsylvania, New
York and New Jersey were seeing some of the day's worst weather Sunday – ice,
snow and wind. Some areas could get an inch of snow an hour starting Sunday
evening and lasting into Monday. Snow accumulations of up to 16 inches and a
tenth of an inch of ice can be expected in some areas around Boston, the
National Weather Service said. "The @CityofBoston &@BostonPWD are well
prepared for the storm that’s coming #Boston's way," Mayor Marty Walsh
tweeted. "We encourage residents to use caution when traveling, assist
vulnerable neighbors & keep up with shoveling." In Buffalo, a Delta
Connection flight from New York slid off a taxiway after an "uneventful
landing" Sunday morning, Delta Air Lines confirmed to USA TODAY. None of
the 64 passengers aboard the Endeavor Air CRJ-900 were injured, the airline
said. Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Director Randy Padfield said
parts of the state could see snow Sunday through Tuesday morning. A foot of
snow was forecast for parts of northeast Pennsylvania. “With a storm like this,
a difference of just a few degrees can quickly change weather and road
conditions,” Padfield warned. The storm system, dubbed Winter Storm Ezekiel by
The Weather Channel, was causing havoc in more than 30 states. In the Midwest,
more than 700 flights were delayed or canceled Sunday at airports in Chicago,
Denver and Minneapolis alone. The number exceeded 2,000 on Saturday. "Heavy
snow will continue to plaster the upper Mississippi Valley and northern Great
Lakes region into Sunday night," AccuWeather warned. "Strong winds
will make for whiteout conditions at times." In some areas Sunday, fog was
a major culprit. "Allow extra time and use heightened caution," the
National Weather Service in Chicago tweeted. "If encountering dense fog
slow down, use low beam headlights, and keep adequate following distance from
the vehicle in front of you." Strong, gusty winds will extend over much of
the Plains and spread east of the Mississippi River on Sunday afternoon and
night, AccuWeather said. Some areas could get up to 2 feet of snow, and
isolated areas near the Great Lakes could see 3 feet. The city of Lead, South Dakota,
was hit with 30 inches of snow and reported snow drifts in excess of 5 feet. Areas
around Duluth, Minnesota, had 20 inches as of 6 a.m. Sunday. In Midland, Mich.,
the city reported numerous trees and power lines down because of ice – just
four days after a power outage forced closure of City Hall. The West was not
exempt. A front driving heavy rains and high winds that rolled onto the
California coast centered below San Francisco was expected to pound parts of
the state with heavy rains and high winds for several days, and heavy snow was
expected in the mountains. More than 1,000 flights were delayed or canceled
into and out of San Francisco on Saturday and Sunday. "Current wind gusts
over 40 mph across the area. The strongest winds are in the hills and along the
coast, where local gusts up to 60 mph are being observed," the weather
service in San Francisco tweeted Sunday morning. Then later: "Just lost
power at the office. Thank goodness for the emergency power generator!"
^ The snow has started here.
Looks like I am hunkering-down for the duration. ^
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.