Weekend storm drops heavy snow around Northeast as Pacific Northwest braces for more rain
A weekend storm sent temperatures plunging well below freezing across the Midwest and dumped heavy snow on parts of the Northeast on Sunday, creating widespread airport delays and slick roads as the Pacific Northwest braced for more rain after days of flooding and mudslides.
The storm began Saturday and brought several inches of snow to the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area, the region’s first significant snowfall of the season. Light snow fell across parts of New England. The storm was expected to weaken by Sunday evening, followed by arctic conditions with nighttime wind chill temperatures at or falling below zero degrees (-18 Celsius).
Crews and contractors were plowing and treating roads in New Jersey, where the state Department of Transportation advised people to avoid unnecessary travel. Salt spreaders and plows worked through the night to clear snow from roads and bike paths, the New York City Department of Sanitation posted online. Pennsylvania temporarily reduced speed limits on highways to 45 mph (72 km/h).
There were more than 1,000 delayed flights and more than 100 cancellations at U.S. airports due to the weather, according to flight tracking site FlightAware.
Meanwhile, a blast of arctic air swept across southern Canada and reached parts of the northern United States. The National Weather Service in Chanhassen, Minn., said Sunday was the coldest morning of the season so far. It was -10 degrees (-23 C) at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, with temperatures as low as -22 (-30 C) in some communities.
In the Pacific Northwest, which experienced catastrophic flooding that forced thousands to evacuate, more rain and wind were expected in the region as early as Sunday evening, forecasters said.
