Snow Totals update: snow totals across the Northeast after huge storm
Snow totals from a massive storm that pummeled the northeastern United States from Maryland to Maine on Monday have left millions at home amid strong wind and blizzard warnings. The storm disrupted flights, triggered transportation shutdowns, and closed schools and businesses while officials declared emergencies and people grappled with power failures.
Snow Totals by location
Measured amounts were dramatic: Central Park recorded 19 inches (48 centimeters) of snow, while Warwick, Rhode Island, exceeded 3 feet (91 centimeters), topping the nation so far. The storm dumped more than 2 feet (60 centimeters) in parts of the metropolitan Northeast and shattered accumulation records in places.
Storm strength and definition
Meteorologists said the storm is the strongest in a decade and called it a "classic bomb cyclone/nor'easter off the Northeast coast. " A bomb cyclone was described as a storm whose pressure falls by a certain amount within a 24-hour period, occurring mainly in the fall and winter when frigid Arctic air can reach the south and clash with warmer temperatures.
Scenes in New York City
New York City experienced unusual quiet and disruption: schools were closed, including in New York City, which had its first "old-school" snow day in six years. In Lower Manhattan, snow shovelers appeared to outnumber commuting office workers and pedestrians walked freely in streets normally blocked by morning traffic. Luis Valez, a concierge at a residential tower just off Wall Street, said, "It’s very quiet, except for the howling winds. " He added that "A couple of residents have gone out to get their essentials. Other than that, there’s nothing. "
Matthew Wojtkowiak, 57, an attorney who was shoveling in his Brooklyn neighborhood, said, "I’m from the Midwest, so this is in the zone. Not too bad, not too easy, either. " He noted that schools were closed and said he hoped people would get out and enjoy the snow. Tourists Karen Smith and Adele Bawden, visiting New York from the United Kingdom, found the conditions novel: Bawden said, "We’ve been dancing in Times Square this morning in the middle of the road in rush hour. We’ve just been dancing and not believing we could do it. " Ingrid Devita said she liked to patrol the Lower East Side on skis, checking on people who might need help, and added, "I find people fall in the snow and they can’t get up. " The situation in New York was described in headline coverage as "A World Transformed. "
Wind, gusts and impacts
The highest wind gust recorded was 83 mph (133 kph) in Nantucket, with hurricane-force gusts seen all over Cape Cod. The storm immobilized transit in many areas, contributed to transportation shutdowns, and disrupted flights, while millions were forced to stay home amid strong wind and blizzard warnings. Officials declared emergencies as people grappled with power failures.
Historic ships and cleanup
In Connecticut, crews at the Mystic Seaport Museum prepared to clear snow from a fleet of historic ships, including the 113-foot-long Charles W. Morgan, a wooden whaling ship from the 19th century American merchant fleet. Shannon McKenzie, vice president of watercraft operations and preservation, said shipyard staff will clear the snow by hand using rubber or plast
Even as the snow moved northward and tapered off in some areas, the National Weather Service said it is tracking another storm that could bring more snow to the region later this week. Meteorologists were struck by the storm’s combination of power and beauty: Owen Shieh, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center in Maryland, said the storm hit the "Goldilocks situation" of just the right temperature for wet, heavy snow — any warmer and precipitation wouldn’t have fallen as snow, any colder and there wouldn’t have been as much moisture in the air to feed that snowfall.
UPDATE: How much snow have we gotten so far? See latest totals near you is the framing for this coverage as officials and residents continue to tally and respond to the storm’s effects.
Closing: The massive Northeast storm on Monday produced record-busting snowfall and ferocious winds from Maryland to Maine, prompting emergency declarations, widespread closures and a continuing watch for additional snow later in the week.
