Powerful snowstorm pounds northeastern US, cancelling classes, flights
A powerful, fast-moving storm has swept through the northeastern United States, forcing the cancellation of thousands of flights and closing schools in major cities, including New York, Boston and Philadelphia.
The snow storm began on Thursday morning and had the potential to be the most powerful storm this winter, bringing along strong winds and coastal flooding.
Forecasters also warned the storm would bring winds gusting to 50 miles per hour (80 kph) and periods of "thunder snow," which could drop as much as 4 inches (10 cm) of snow per hour, making travel extremely dangerous.
A number of school districts have already have canceled Thursday classes in the region and airlines have scrapped thousands of flights as a precaution.
Nationwide, nearly 3,200 flights were canceled, according to Flightaware.com.
"This is going to be a big punch," said Benjamin Sipprell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Taunton, Massachusetts. "It's originating in the Ohio River Valley and starts cranking as it comes across Appalachia."
According to official warnings, near whiteout conditions were possible, with snow expected to fall at a rate of 2 to 4 inches per hour at the storm's height.
The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for some coastal areas.
While Philadelphia is predicted to get 4 to 6 inches of snow, New York City could see up to a foot and Boston could end up with as much as 15 inches, ABC News reported.
High winds moving in on the storm's heels could bring gusts of up to 50 mph, leading to power outages. Temperatures were also forecast to drop severely across much of the region.
Much of the Atlantic coast will be hit with heavy rain and gusty winds that can cause flooding and mudslides.
Wind gusts could reach 60 mph along the coast from Eureka, California, to the Olympic Mountains in Washington.
Officials have warned people against avalanches, downed trees and toppled power lines that could all cause road closures, particularly in higher elevations.
Many communities announced parking restrictions in advance of the storm, and some school systems canceled classes on Thursday, including Providence, Rhode Island. Connecticut canceled most court activities on Thursday.
Source: US media
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