Snow, Cold Temps Disrupt Life in Several States

(AP) Snow, cold temps disrupt life in several states
By The Associated Press
A snowstorm that dumped up to a foot of snow in the Midwest has moved east, where it merged with low pressure, bringing heavy snow and freezing temperatures to the Northeast. Residents from Michigan to Maine have had their lives disrupted.

DELAWARE

State and county government offices and public schools are closed after the storm dumped 2 to 7 inches of snow around the state. Winter storm warnings remain in effect statewide. Transportation officials warn that roads are not clear and they’re are asking people to stay home if possible.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Roads are being cleared and many schools systems are closed after the storm blew through Washington and surrounding areas overnight, leaving at least 2 inches of snow. The federal government and the District of Columbia government will be open Friday, but workers have the option to take leave or work from home.

ILLINOIS

Nearly 17 inches of snow fell Thursday in some of Chicago’s northern suburbs, and more than 12 inches of snow was recorded at Midway International Airport. The temperature is expected to be a lingering problem. The National Weather Service says Chicago-area wind chills Monday and Tuesday could sink to 45 below zero.

INDIANA

The National Weather Service reported temperatures less than 5 degrees below zero in parts of northern Indiana before dawn Friday. Wind gusts of 35 mph could cause travel troubles from snowfall that began Wednesday night and continued into Thursday.

MAINE

Forecasters say the wind chill could make it feel like 45 degrees below zero on Friday in parts of northern Maine. Authorities warn that people who don’t dress properly risk frostbite and hypothermia. Caribou hit 28 below early Thursday, breaking the old record of minus-20 for the date.

MASSACHUSETTS

Massachusetts residents woke up to nearly 2 feet of snow in some areas and wind chills well below zero. The National Weather Service says the temperature in Boston was 2 degrees Friday morning but felt like 20-below. Boston had more than 13 inches of snow, with higher amounts north of the city, including 21 inches in Boxford.

MARYLAND

Maryland officials are restricting traffic on several bridges, including the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, because of strong winds. The Maryland Transportation Authority reports sustained winds or gusts exceeding 50 mph Friday morning. That means only cars, pickup trucks, flatbed trailers, commercial buses and heavy-laden tractor trailers may cross.

MICHIGAN

Temperatures are in the single-digits across much of Michigan on Friday morning, with readings of 2 degrees below zero at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. The National Weather Service reports that the storm Tuesday through Thursday left 11.6 inches of snow in Wyandotte and 11.1 inches in Romulus, both in Metro Detroit. More snow is expected late Saturday and Sunday. And colder weather is forecast for Monday.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

The storm is expected to move out of the area later Friday, but the cold will linger. Wind chill readings are ranging from 15-below to 35-below zero, and more of the same is expected Friday night. Most flights Friday morning were canceled at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, and numerous schools remained closed for a second day.

NEW JERSEY

Mass transit is operating, but at a slower pace. Tickets bought for state-run rail, light rail or bus systems are being honored by all three transit modes. More than one-fourth of Friday’s outgoing flights at Newark Liberty Airport have been canceled, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware.

NEW YORK

Kennedy Airport is open, but flights have been suspended due to zero visibility and high winds. All New York City subways are running local for the start of the morning rush. Gov. Andrew Cuomo says local service will remain in effect until all the trains are moved from express tracks where they were stored underground overnight. Authorities say a woman with Alzheimer’s disease froze to death after wandering away from her rural western New York home.

OHIO

Temperatures were in single digits to start the day throughout the state Friday, with wind chills well below zero. Forecasters say wind chills in Cleveland could dip as low as 20-below. After a warm up into double digits Saturday and Sunday, temperatures will dive back down, with highs throughout the state from only zero to 5 for Monday. Some counties still are cleaning up from the storm that blew through Thursday, leaving 4 to 6 inches of new snow.

PENNSYLVANIA

Between 2 and 8 inches of snow was scattered across Pennsylvania on Friday morning. School children in Pittsburgh were asked to attend school two hours late. Gov. Tom Corbett also told state employees to report two hours late. In eastern Pennsylvania, most school districts, including Philadelphia and Allentown, were closed. Some pre-dawn temperatures were in the single digits. Authorities say a worker at a suburban Philadelphia road salt storage facility died when a 100-foot-tall pile of salt fell and crushed him on a backhoe.

VERMONT

It was 8 degrees below zero in Burlington on Friday morning, with a wind chill of 29 below zero. The National Weather Service says there’s a good chance of more snow showers Friday morning, with not much accumulation. Icy roads led to a car crash Thursday night in the town of St. Albans, in which rescue workers pulled an infant up a steep embankment.

WEST VIRGINIA

The National Weather Service says the temperature dropped to 7 degrees in Beckley Friday morning. High temperatures in the teens were forecast for many areas, with the wind chill as low as 15 to 20 degrees below zero in the morning. There were reports of several traffic accidents on roads covered with ice and snow. Some areas in the eastern part of the state had up to 6 inches of snow. Many schools were closed or opening late.