US north-east braces for ‘significant’ snowfall after storm hits midwest | US weather

A winter storm is expected to hit much of the northeastern United States with rain, sleet and heavy snow overnight Monday into Tuesday, forecasters said, with millions of Americans under winter storm advisories.

The bulk of the storm is expected to arrive in the region later Monday, with the system expected to develop over the Gulf states and then move up the East Coast. Most of the heaviest snowfall is expected to end by Tuesday evening, and conditions will improve by Wednesday.

The heaviest snowfall is expected from the Poconos to eastern Maine, which could receive 5 to 10 inches of snow between Monday evening and Tuesday evening. The highest areas of New England could see more than a foot of snow.

The National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.

This comes after many motorists and air travelers experienced significant disruptions over the Thanksgiving weekend due to another winter storm over the Midwest and Great Lakes region, with several significant traffic accidents, hundreds of flights canceled and thousands more delayed.

Chicago’s O’Hare Airport recorded 8.4 inches of snow on Saturday, setting the record for the city’s snowiest November day since records began. Dozens of flights there remained canceled or delayed through Monday, and travel conditions were expected to remain dangerous in some areas through Monday evening. There was also snow in parts of Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska.

Meteorologist Andrew Orrison told The Associated Press that snow in the Great Lakes region was decreasing, but the new storm was moving toward the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, with “significant” snowfall on Tuesday.

“This will be the first snowfall of the season in many of these areas, and it will be pretty heavy,” Orrison said. “The good news is that it does not appear that major cities are facing significant snowfall at this point.”

The warning for coastal Maine was issued Tuesday morning through Wednesday morning, saying residents “should delay all travel if possible” due to the snow.

Meanwhile, in New Hampshire, the Department of Transportation on Sunday invited residents to submit names for its second annual plow-naming contest.

“Welcome to The Department of Seven Snowplows, our winter take on a classic tale. Hawthorne had gables. We have orange snowplows just waiting for the perfect name,” the department said on social media. The last winner’s name was Ctrl-Salt-Delete.

With plowable snow expected to cover large parts of Pennsylvania, crews began treating lanes along the 565-mile Pennsylvania Turnpike system on Monday, agency press secretary Marissa Orbanek told the AP. Traffic restrictions on many highways in the eastern half of the state would be imposed at 5 a.m. Tuesday. “We really prepare for snow all year round,” she said.