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A powerful winter storm packing heavy snow and high winds pummeled the US East Coast Saturday, forcing the cancellation of thousands of flights as severe weather alerts were sounded across a region of around 70 million people.
With blizzard warnings in effect, cities like New York and Boston bore the brunt of the storm Saturday morning, but the far-reaching system also hit the Mid-Atlantic.
Freeze alerts were raised as far south as Florida, where the National Weather Service (NWS) warned of “scattered to isolated falling iguanas from trees” as plunging temperatures temporarily paralyzed the large lizards, which can weigh up to 20 pounds (nine kilograms).
Salt machines and snowplows crawled along the streets of New York, where as much as four inches (10 centimeters) of snow had fallen by Saturday morning.
Mayor Eric Adams had tweeted Friday that a foot (30 centimeters) of snow was predicted, and warned that “Mother Nature has a tendency to do what she wants.”
He urged New Yorkers to stay home if possible.
Some 3,500 flights were canceled for Saturday traveling within, into or out of the United States, according to flight tracker FlightAware, and 701 flights have already been canceled for Sunday.
Cancellations on Friday totalled more than 1,450.
The NWS warned of “dangerous blizzard conditions” along portions of the Mid-Atlantic and New England coasts, with predicted snowfall accumulations of more than two feet in the area around Boston.
Snowfall rate would range from two to four inches per hour, and strong winds would cause “scattered power outages.”
“Expect whiteout conditions and nearly impossible travel at times,” the service said.
Snowfall reports received as of 11 am Saturday. Highest totals by state so far:
NJ – Tuckerton 16″
NY – Islip 15″
CT – Ledyard Center 14.1″
MD – Ocean Pines 14″
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Source : france24
