Natural Disasters

Northern US braves historic snowstorm

Major cities experienced power outages and travel disruptions amid heavy snowfall

 
By DTE Staff
Published: Monday 31 January 2022
Boston on the morning of January 29, 2022. Photo: @missfrodo25 / Twitter

As many as 10 states in the northern United States have been battered by a historic snow storm January 29, 2022. Strong winds blasted heavy snow and disrupted air and road travel even in major cities like New York, Boston, Philadelphia

Long Island reported three deaths, according to news agency Associated Press (AP).#bostonblizzard pic.twitter.com/VzM9YdQcJ9

The bone-chilling cold came with hours of powercuts in pockets of the region that is home to around 70 million people. The power outage was the most widespread in Massachusetts where around 120,000 homes didn’t have supply. pic.twitter.com/AsIs5C9sbu

Climate change, particularly the warming ocean, probably influenced the strength of the storm, atmospheric researchers told AP.

Thick layers of snow blanketed the affected states. Boston received its one-day highest snowfall (60 centimetres). New York and Massachusetts also received around 61 centimetres of snowfall each. The frigid conditions reached lands as far away as Florida.

Blizzard warning was sounded in parts of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, along with much of the Delmarva Peninsula in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.

A blizzard is a storm with blowing snow, winds of 56 kilometres per hour or more and visibility reduced to a quarter-mile or less for at least three hours, according to the US National Weather Service.

Ocean sprays also flooded parts of the East Coast region. The situation improved on January 30. Power supply resumed in some areas and distribution companies assured the repair work will be complete by the end of January 31.

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