In New York City, schools had to shut down and transportation services faced challenges in maintaining operations as officials urged the public to refrain from driving due to hazardous conditions.
Over 1,220 flights across the US were canceled, with New York’s LaGuardia airport seeing 43% of its flights called off. At New Jersey’s Newark airport, 28% of flights were canceled, and nearly one in five flights were canceled at JFK, New York’s primary airport, as reported by Flight Aware.
It's a snow day in New York City as a major winter storm brings several inches of snow to millions in the Northeast. 🌨️ #NYwx pic.twitter.com/blryk6qyMd
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) February 13, 2024
Due to the dangerous conditions, authorities in New York City advised against driving, leading to the closure of schools and causing transportation services to struggle to maintain operations.
Authorities reported that this was the first instance in two years where the snowfall in the nation’s most populated city was substantial enough to require the deployment of snowplows.
The city’s emergency notification system has issued an alert stating, “Expect snowfall ranging from four to eight inches (10-20 centimeters) and wind gusts reaching up to 40 miles (64 kilometers) per hour. Refrain from non-essential travel. If travel is unavoidable, opt for public transportation.”
In New York City’s Central Park, resilient joggers and dog walkers mingled with those reveling in the snow, engaging in activities such as building snowmen and frolicking in the snowy expanse.
Storm Lorraine, causing widespread disruption, led the National Weather Service (NWS) to issue a winter storm warning. This alert affected over 32 million individuals.
Numerous rural regions in the northeast found themselves completely isolated. This was due to snow plows striving to clear the roads while the surfaces continued to be blanketed by persistent heavy snowfall.
Meteorologists reported that Hampton Township in New Jersey was hit with a substantial snowfall of 13 inches. Meanwhile, Chester, located in upstate New York, experienced an accumulation of over 11 inches of snow.
The NWS has issued an update stating that a regional storm, informally known as a Nor’easter, is expected to cause significant disruptions. This includes strong winds and heavy snowfall that could potentially damage trees and power lines, and interrupt travel. Additionally, coastal areas along the East Coast are anticipated to experience flooding.
The region anticipated to experience the most intense snowfall extends from eastern Pennsylvania, encompassing the Lehigh Valley, through northern New Jersey, far southeast New York, and southern New England. This includes the metropolitan area of New York.
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