This morning, numerous states on the east coast of the United States, particularly in the northeast, were hit by a strong winter storm. Coastal states like New York and Connecticut have already seen up to two feet of snowfall, combined with cold winds and freezing rain. The storm initially started in the southeast and moved north along the coast, intensifying as local temperatures dropped.
“We’ve had a very intense area of low pressure moving up the coast, bringing significant snow accumulations from Tennessee and North Carolina all the way up to the northeast,” said meteorologist Marc Chenard from College Park, Maryland.
The severe weather has had negative impacts both locally and regionally. Air travel in the affected states has been greatly disrupted, with over 1,200 flights cancelled due to the snow and wind. Along the east coast, 217,089 residents in South Carolina, North Carolina, West Virginia, Georgia, and Pennsylvania are without power. Drivers are advised to stay home as much as possible, although the National Guard has been mobilized in some states to assist with relatively safe travel on the roads.
A dangerous winter storm brings significant snowfall, strong thunderstorms and blustery winds to the northeastern U.S. A foot of snow is forecast for parts of the region, with 4 inches falling per hour at the airport in Buffalo, New York. https://t.co/QaPHiBihlm
— The Associated Press (@AP) January 17, 2022
“They’re equipped with emergency response vehicles that can move through the snow,” stated North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper on Sunday. “Certain counties have seen 8 to 12 inches of snowfall, and significant ice accumulation is causing issues in the central part of the state.”
Temperatures in the northeast are anticipated to stay below freezing until at least Wednesday.
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