New England plowed out after big snowstorm

Hardy souls across New England spent Sunday shoveling snow after a massive storm dumped more than 60 centimeters of snow in some areas, caused multiple road accidents, knocked out power lines and left hundreds of thousands without power across the Northeast.

Central Maine Power, the state’s largest utility, said road conditions Saturday night were dangerous for crews seeking to restore power. It said the company’s overnight focus was on responding to emergency calls and securing downed power lines. Safety.

By daylight Sunday, crews were assessing and clearing damage to begin extensive power restoration efforts. The company said it expected several days of work in areas most affected by the storm.

Jon Breed of Central Maine Power said: “Significant damage was sustained to trees, poles and power lines Saturday night and our assessors are assessing the damage today so we can quickly and efficiently Restoring power to customers as safely as possible.”

Police in the Northeast have reported hundreds of traffic accidents as cars skidded and drivers struggled in icy conditions.

As the storm subsided, about 200,000 customers were without power in Maine and 80,000 customers in New Hampshire.

Breed said the company had 150 crews prepositioned across its service area ahead of the storm, with another 200 crews set to arrive on Sunday.

Versant, Maine’s second-largest utility, reported about 15,000 outages Sunday morning, while central Maine reported 188,000 outages.

National Weather Service meteorologist Zach Taylor said heavy snow from the storm blanketed the entire region, including upstate and northern New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and much of Maine.

Snowfall totals were 20 to 30 centimeters in many areas, but more than 60 centimeters fell in some areas.

Some of the highest total heights in south-central Vermont exceed 76 centimeters.

“Overall, this was a pretty severe winter storm, and for some areas it was the heaviest snowfall they’ve seen in a storm all winter,” Taylor said.

Heavy rain and flooding occurred in major cities from Washington, D.C., and Baltimore to Philadelphia, New York, and Boston.

In New York, more than 90,000 customers were without power Sunday morning. Areas north of New York City were hardest hit, according to an online map from National Grid and outage tracking website PowerOutage.us.

Sleet, freezing rain and heavy snow knocked down trees and power lines and caused hundreds of flight delays and cancellations at airports across the region.

In New York City, flood watches and wind warnings were in effect until 2 a.m. Sunday, with flooding affecting subway service. The rain also closed part of Cross Island Boulevard in Queens, and police warned motorists to be aware of standing water on roads across the city.

In Lodi, New Jersey, flooding from the Saddle River flooded nearby roads.

Another severe winter storm is developing in the West and will continue into Monday, sweeping through much of the Rockies, Plains and upper Midwest, Taylor said.

The system is expected to bring heavy snow to parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, much of the Dakotas, and even into Nebraska and western Kansas, with snowfall amounts of 20 to 30 centimeters possible, including the eastern Dakotas and western Kansas. Snowfall amounts are higher in parts of central Minnesota. , he added.