Northeast: Snowstorm Leaves Two Million Homes Without Electricity
October 30th, 2011Update: Three Million Homes and Businesses Without Electricity
—End Update—
Via: Reuters:
Transportation in the Northeast was hard-hit on Sunday by a rare October snowstorm that also cut power to more than 2 million homes and killed at least three people.
The heaviest snow was recorded in Western Massachusetts, where 27.8 inches/(71 cm) was measured in Plainfield, according to the National Weather Service. Just 45 minutes northwest of New York City, in West Milford, New Jersey, 19 inches/(48 cm) of snow fell.
“A historic October storm is still crushing New England with heavy snow and howling winds,” meteorologist Meghan Evans said on Accuweather.com on Sunday.
The storm was expected to push out of Maine on Sunday but not before dumping up to a foot/(30.5 cm) of snow on northern New England states, particularly southern Vermont, the NWS said.
The heavy, wet snow snapped enormous trees like twigs, downing power lines from West Virginia to Massachusetts.
New Jersey Transit and Metro-North Railroad suspended service on several lines into New York City on Saturday and continued the suspension on Sunday.
Many flights at New York City-area airports were canceled. Authorities warned drivers to stay off icy roads. Slippery road conditions were blamed for a crash that killed a motorist in Colchester, Connecticut.
