Winter storms dump snow on both U.S. coasts

A major winter storm bringing heavy snow and freezing rain to some communities spread across New England on Sunday, sending residents scurrying for their shovels and snowblowers to clear sidewalks and driveways.

Winter storm warnings and watches were in effect throughout the U.S. Northeast, and icy roads made for hazardous travel as far south as North Carolina.

The Northeast snow came as a Sierra Nevada storm packing heavy snow shut down a stretch of an interstate highway on Saturday and briefly knocked out power to tens of thousands in Reno, Nevada.

More than 11,000 electricity customers in California were without power on Sunday afternoon.

Some communities in Massachusetts had recorded more than a foot (30 centimeters) of snow by Sunday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. Nearly 13,000 electricity customers in the state were without power on Sunday afternoon.

Hundreds of flights at Logan International Airport were delayed or canceled on Sunday according to tracking website FlightAware.

Snow totals were lower for coastal communities, with Boston reporting just a few inches (one inch is 2.54 centimeters). 

In Cambridge, where snowfall was lighter, residents quickly ventured out.

"I think it's funny because everyone's been freaking out about it," said Alison Conley, 26, a consultant. "We've been betting as to how much snow we're actually going to have and it's looking like not that much is going to stick."

Conley, who was out walking her dog Sunny, said the possibility that climate change is contributing to relatively warmer winter days in the region - the temperature in Boston is expected to melt much of the snow on Wednesday - is a concern.

"I think it's super alarming," she said. "It is very weird, but, I don't know, from a selfish side it's like kind of nice to not have snow."

The storm reached into Maine with snow totals of up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) in some places - with locally higher amounts over southern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine. Wind gusts up 35 mph (56 kph) could add to blowing and drifting snow. Moderate to heavy snow was expected to continue in Vermont, with total snow accumulations of 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 centimeters)

Major winter storm conditions were expected into Sunday evening, including snow in parts of New England and rain and freezing rain around the central Appalachian mountains.

New York City mainly saw rain, but counties to the north and west recorded double-digit snow totals by Sunday morning. Millbrook in Dutchess County, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) north of New York, recorded a foot of snow. Port Jervis in Orange County reported 13 inches (33 centimeters).

New York Governor Kathy Hochul said on Saturday that she expected two-thirds of her state to get 8 inches (20 centimeters) of snow or more, "fortunately missing some of our more populated areas downstate, the Long Island and New York City."

In the West, a winter storm warning was in effect through Saturday night in the Sierra Nevada from south of Yosemite National Park to north of Reno, where the weather service said as much as 20 inches (50 centimeters) of snow could fall in the mountains around Lake Tahoe with winds gusting up to 100 mph (160 kph).

The California Highway Patrol said numerous spin-outs and collisions forced an hours-long closure of Interstate 80 from west of Truckee, California to the state line west of Reno.

In Arizona transportation officials said several highways in the state's northern reaches - including Interstate 40 near Williams and State Route 64 near Grand Canyon National Park - were closed on Sunday afternoon due to weather-related crashes and slide-offs from snowfall.

Forecasters also warned of another Northeast storm Tuesday into Wednesday that is expected to drop heavy rain on already saturated ground. They warned of possible flooding and coastal flooding and a threat of damaging winds that could topple trees and power lines.

(Cover image via CFP)