US digs out after snow storm chaos

PEOPLE across the northeastern United States yesterday began to dig out from the region’s first major winter storm, which dumped more than a foot of snow, closed airports and left thousands without power.

At least 10 deaths were linked to the storm.

The three-day storm rolled up the eastern coast two weeks before winter’s official start on December 21, setting records in some areas as it packed high winds, heavy surf and steady snowfall of up to an inch an hour. The wind brought downed trees and power lines in Massachusetts, and utilities reported about 8,000 power outages this morning along the Massachusetts coast. At high tide, waves crashed over sea walls in coastal towns.

Nearly 3ft of snow fell in western Maine, and up to 2ft fell in eastern New York’s Rensselaer County. As much as 20 inches fell in Connecticut. Clarksburg, Pennsylvania, measured 15 inches and up to 19 inches fell on New York’s Long Island.

The storm had disrupted school events, holiday shopping, sports events and college entrance exams during the weekend.

It left roads and sidewalks ice slicked, stranded hundreds of travellers and kept thousands of Christmas shoppers at home.

Logan International Airport in Boston, New England’s busiest, remained closed yesterday and roughly 20,000 homes have no power in eastern Massachusetts, state officials said. Officials also warned of coastal flooding this morning. The storm has been blamed for at least two fatal traffic accidents in New Jersey, officials said.

With this morning’s rush hour looming, officials said it was still too early to say what conditions commuters may face.

“This storm isn’t ending just yet, and we can’t gauge what shape we will be in tomorrow,” said Peter Judge, public affairs officer at the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.

“We’ve got seven international flights ready to go when we can get cleared, but right now we are still closed,” said Phil Orlandella, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Port Authority.

There were similar delays and closings at airports from New Hampshire to Maryland this weekend.

On highways like Route I-95, state police still reported hazardous conditions as thousands of snow ploughs were out clearing the new snow and high drifts caused by heavy winds

In New York City, the sun was shining and major roadways were already largely cleared of ice and snow.

Meanwhile, skiers and the tourism industry celebrated the snowstorm as an unexpected pre-holiday present.

“People were up at 7am ready to hit the mountains,” said Nancy Stowell White, owner of the Sudbury Inn in Bethel, Maine. “We’ve got 28 inches of fresh snow and it is still coming down.

“The phones are just going to ring and ring with reservations.”