| NBCNews.com | - |
A
killer snowstorm paralyzed the East Coast on Saturday, effectively
shutting down New York City and the nation's capital, while dumping as
much as 3 feet of snow in other areas.
Monster Snowstorm Leaves At Least 17 Dead, Paralyzes East Coast
At least 17 people died in the mammoth storm, which canceled thousands of flights throughout the weekend.
The snow didn't seem to be slowing down for New York City, which in total was forecast to get up to 28 inches — a jump from initially modest predictions.
By 7:30 p.m., there were 25.1 inches of snow at Central Park — the third greatest snowfall in New York City since 1869, the National Weather Service said. And snow was continuing to fall.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo closed all roads at 2:30 p.m. in New York City and Long Island, as well as above-ground sections of the subway and regional trains at 4 p.m. New York City buses stopped running at noon.
"If you're out for any reason, doing any errands, get home, get safe," he said at a news conference Saturday night. "This is a forecast that in the last 24 hours has jumped up several times."
There were three shoveling-related deaths in New York City, officials announced. Police said they had responded to 312 car accidents and 343 disabled vehicles across the city.
With travel prohibited, major landmarks and attractions quickly closed their doors. All Broadway matinee and evening performances were canceled, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art shuttered early.
The federal government closed its offices at noon Friday, and public transportation was shut down through Sunday. Monuments, normally teeming with tourists, were largely deserted.
By the time the storm is over Sunday, one in seven Americans from Kentucky to Connecticut could be under at least half a foot of snow, forecasters said.
The biggest snowfall was in rural Glengary, West Virginia, which got a whopping 40 inches as of 2:45 p.m., The Weather Channel said according to unofficial snow totals.
Redhouse, Maryland, was second, with 38 inches by 1:30 p.m. Parts of West Virginia got up to 33 inches, and parts of Virginia got 30 inches by late morning, while Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania, had 30 inches.
Parts of Tennessee, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Georgia saw 6 inches and more. Eight inches of snow fell at Nashville International Airport, the most since 1996, when Nashville got 8.7 inches, the AP said.
Follow Live: Blizzard Blog Updates
In Philadelphia, which also shut down public transportation, officials said the city had 22.6 inches of snow just after 3 p.m.
The weekend winter wallop has knocked out power to hundreds of thousands, led to nearly 10,000 canceled flights and been blamed for at least 17 deaths, most of which were related to car accidents. Besides the three New York City deaths, six of the deaths were in North Carolina, two were in Kentucky and two were in Tennessee, and there was one each in Virginia, Arkansas, and Maryland.
One of those killed in Kentucky was a state Department of Transportation worker, who was fatally injured in a snow plow crash.
Photo Gallery: Pictures From the Storm
Related: Good Samaritan Shot to Death Helping Stranded Driver in North Carolina
The snow began falling Friday, zeroing in on Kentucky. Drivers were stranded on a long stretch of Interstate 75 south of Lexington because of a string of crashes and blowing snow, state police and witnesses said.
According to the National Weather Service's website early Saturday, 18 inches of snow already had fallen on Ulysses in eastern Kentucky, while 16 inches fell in Beattyville, the AP reported.
Coastal flooding was also a major concern. From Virginia to New England, high tides produced minor to moderate coastal flooding Saturday morning, with record surges in Delaware and the Jersey Shore.
With the next high tide happening Saturday evening just before 7:30 p.m., officials in Union Beach, New Jersey, issued a voluntary evacuation.
There were power outages, too. The worst affected area was North Carolina, where more than 148,000 customers were without electricity. More than 90,000 homes and business also lost power in New Jersey.
Winter Storm Live Updates: Massive Snowstorm Slams East Coast
Ongoing coverage of the massive snowstorm that forecasters say could dump 2 feet or more of snow on the East Coast and bring severe conditions to millions of people.
There were 25.1 inches of snow in Central Park by 7 p.m. The NWS said it was the third-heaviest snowfall in the city since 1869.
The record was 26.9 inches of snow that fell on Feb. 11, 2006, the weather service said.
Mayor Ras Baraka issued the order effective of 5 p.m. Saturday. More than 21 inches of snow was recorded at Newark International Airport by 3:45 p.m., the National Weather Service said.
NJ Transit early Saturday suspended rail, light rail and bus operations as the snowstorm hit the state.
"We have seen several situations where people have over-extended themselves," New York Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters Saturday. "Please be aware of your own limitations."
An 88-year-old man Pennsylvania died while shoveling snow, officials said Saturday, bringing the toll to 17.
De Blasio said that a travel ban that went into effect in the city and on Long Island at 2:30 p.m. would likely last until Sunday morning. More than 19 inches of snow has fallen in Central Park, and the National Weather Service said the city could expect up to 28 inches of snow by the time the storm passes late Saturday.
"If we broke 20 inches, it would rank as one of the top storms in the history of New York City," De Blasio said, adding that the forecast had steadily "intensified" as the snowy day progressed.
Emergency responders have attended to more than 300 traffic accidents and towed more than 340 stuck vehicles in the city, according to officials. "Heed one thing the mayor says, keep your vehicle off the road," said the chief of New York's EMS James P. Booth.
What we know
- New York City saw 19 inches of snow by Saturday afternoon and could get 28 inches total. More than 18 inches fell in Washington, D.C., and it could get more than two feet. Philadelphia got more than 22 inches and more snow is forecast.
- At least 17 deaths have been blamed on the severe weather.
- Hundreds of thousands are without electric power.
- Airlines have canceled 10,246 flights for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, according to FlightAware.
The Latest from the Storm
Snowfall at NYC's Central Park Third-Heaviest Since 1869
New York City experienced its third greatest snowfall in nearly 150 years — and the snow is still falling, the National Weather Service said.There were 25.1 inches of snow in Central Park by 7 p.m. The NWS said it was the third-heaviest snowfall in the city since 1869.
The record was 26.9 inches of snow that fell on Feb. 11, 2006, the weather service said.
Baby Delivered at Home With Help of Dispatcher in Storm
Parents of a new baby boy in Virginia will have an interesting story to tell about his arrival.
A couple in Stafford County was planning on using a midwife for a home birth, but when the expectant mother went into labor during heavy snowfall Saturday afternoon, the midwife wasn't able to make it to their house, according to the Stafford County Sheriff's Office.
A Stafford County Fire and Rescue dispatcher assisted the father over the phone, which "progressed very quickly," according to the sheriff's office. The new baby boy was delivered at 1:46 p.m., and he and his parents, who have not been identified, are healthy, according to the sheriff's office.
Parents of a new baby boy in Virginia will have an interesting story to tell about his arrival.
A couple in Stafford County was planning on using a midwife for a home birth, but when the expectant mother went into labor during heavy snowfall Saturday afternoon, the midwife wasn't able to make it to their house, according to the Stafford County Sheriff's Office.
A Stafford County Fire and Rescue dispatcher assisted the father over the phone, which "progressed very quickly," according to the sheriff's office. The new baby boy was delivered at 1:46 p.m., and he and his parents, who have not been identified, are healthy, according to the sheriff's office.
Newark Mayor Issues Travel Ban
Newark's mayor on Saturday issued a travel ban in the New Jersey city amid the snowstorm, warning residents that nonessential vehicles will be towed.Mayor Ras Baraka issued the order effective of 5 p.m. Saturday. More than 21 inches of snow was recorded at Newark International Airport by 3:45 p.m., the National Weather Service said.
NJ Transit early Saturday suspended rail, light rail and bus operations as the snowstorm hit the state.
Three Dead in New York City, Travel Ban to Remain Until Morning
Three people died while shoveling snow in New York City Saturday, police said, bringing the death toll due to the harrowing weather in the East to 17."We have seen several situations where people have over-extended themselves," New York Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters Saturday. "Please be aware of your own limitations."
An 88-year-old man Pennsylvania died while shoveling snow, officials said Saturday, bringing the toll to 17.
De Blasio said that a travel ban that went into effect in the city and on Long Island at 2:30 p.m. would likely last until Sunday morning. More than 19 inches of snow has fallen in Central Park, and the National Weather Service said the city could expect up to 28 inches of snow by the time the storm passes late Saturday.
"If we broke 20 inches, it would rank as one of the top storms in the history of New York City," De Blasio said, adding that the forecast had steadily "intensified" as the snowy day progressed.
Emergency responders have attended to more than 300 traffic accidents and towed more than 340 stuck vehicles in the city, according to officials. "Heed one thing the mayor says, keep your vehicle off the road," said the chief of New York's EMS James P. Booth.
More Flights Canceled Amid Snowstorm
The havoc being wrought on air travel by a monster snowstorm battering the East Coast got worse Saturday, with more flights canceled for Sunday.A total of 10,246 flights have been canceled for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. That number had been around 9,600 earlier Saturday.
FlightAware said airlines canceled 4,446 flights Saturday and 2,376 scheduled for Sunday.
United Airlines said it planned limited operations at airports in Newark and New York City on Sunday, but its operations at Washington, D.C., wouldn't resume until Monday.
New York City's Central Park saw 19 inches of snow by 4 p.m. Saturday. Philadelphia had more than 22 inches of snow, according to the city's emergency management agency, and more than 18 inches has fallen on Washington.
It Ain't Over Till It's Over: New York Snow Isn't Letting Up
New York City, which already got more than 19 inches of snow in Central Park as of 4 p.m., is in for a long night.The National Weather Service says radar indicates New York will get moderate to heavy snow throughout the evening, with 1 to 2 inches falling an hour, or possibly up to 3 inches an hour. The city is forecast to receive up to 28 inch
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