OAN’s Elizabeth Volberding
11:00 AM – Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Some 46 million people are encountering winter warnings as a strong storm has struck regions across the Northeast, resulting in substantial travel disturbances.
The National Weather Service reported that Tuesday’s snowfall in the Northeast is expected to cause “significant” travel issues for millions of Americans. Already, over 1,400 flights have been canceled, and heavy snowfall is primarily affecting New York and other nearby regions.
The New York State Department of Transportation declared a notice for individuals traveling on Interstate-84 and other state highways due to the substantial snow and powerful winds. In the meantime, the National Weather Service recommended to travelers in the Big Apple and Long Island to have “extra caution or simply avoid travel.”
On Tuesday, the strongest snowfall in the Northeast occurred between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. local time, which resulted in almost 1,500 flights being canceled as of 12:00 p.m., according to FlightAware.com.
Of the canceled flights, the most impacted airports in the Northeast involved 43% of flights out of LaGuardia Airport, 27% of flights at Boston Logan International, 26% at Newark Liberty International, and 17% at John F. Kennedy International.
According to the National Weather Service in New York, snowfall frequencies of approximately one to two inches per hour have been reported in the New York City region.
Additionally, there is “potential to experience heavier snowfall in eastern Pennsylvania, northern New Jersey, the Hudson Valley, northern Connecticut, and Rhode Island,” with possible rates of two to three inches per hour.
This storm could also bring six inches or more of snow to New York City, making it the most snowfall to hit the city in the previous two years.
Up to 12 inches of snow is predicted for some areas of southern New England. The National Weather Service warned that this could cause “locally significant travel disruptions” due to strong winds and heavy, wet snow that “may result in downed trees and power lines.”
The agency additionally warned that there could be “very difficult” travel conditions south of Pennsylvania due to “heavy, wet snow” that is expected to affect parts of Maryland, West Virginia, and northern Virginia.
There is a high likelihood that significant power outages will be prompted due to the winter storm, according to the National Weather Service. As of right now, 144,653 people in Pennsylvania are without power due to the storm, and there are forecasts for more than 12 inches of snow in some nearby regions.
The National Weather Service said that although snowfall rates are predicted to decrease through the early afternoon, certain cities are expected to experience their highest snowfall levels since 2022, with up to two inches falling per hour.
It has also been reported that there could be up to eight inches of snow in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Providence, Rhode Island, and New York City, which just declared its first winter storm warning in two years.
This would be the most snowfall for each city since January 29th, 2022. On Tuesday morning, public schools announced that they are switching to “remote learning,” according to Mayor Eric Adams (D-N.Y.).
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