Millions of people across New York State and New England were under winter weather warnings or advisories on Monday, as forecasters said that freezing rain from a storm that battered the Upper Midwest over the weekend could produce significant ice accumulation in parts of the Northeast.
As much as seven-tenths of an inch of ice was expected to form by Monday evening in some northern parts of New York and Vermont, the National Weather Service said. Those areas were under an ice storm warning until 4 p.m. The agency issues such warnings for expected accumulations of more than a quarter-inch of ice, which it says is enough to pull down trees and power lines.
Snow and high winds were also in the forecast, and large portions of New England were under winter weather advisories through the afternoon or evening. In Maine, as much as two inches of snow and sleet was expected, along with a light glaze of ice. Parts of New Hampshire were bracing for up to half an inch of ice.
Some officials warned of possible transit delays and other disruptions. Gov. Phil Scott of Vermont said on social media that the ice would likely make travel hazardous and could cause power outages. The Vermont State Police warned residents to stay home and avoid travel on Monday if possible.
In New York, where more than 66,000 electricity customers upstate had no power as of 1:30 p.m., Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office said that strong winds and snowfall of up to two inches an hour would create “near whiteout conditions” in some areas. The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services said everyone in Buffalo should stay off the road between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. because of the dangerous conditions.
The storm bearing down on the Northeast is a continuation of one that swept across parts of the Midwest over the weekend, disrupting travel plans and leaving more than 115,000 customers in Michigan without power as of Monday afternoon, according to the website PowerOutage.com. More than 25,000 customers were also without power in Ohio and 35,000 in Pennsylvania.
In Michigan, part of I-75 in Detroit was closed on Monday afternoon because of several automobile crashes, including at least one that involved a semi-truck, according to the Michigan State Police. Snow squall conditions, which can cause rapid reductions in visibility, were reported in the area.
In Hilton, N.Y., a town in Monroe County, 131 residents were evacuated from the Hilton East Assisted Living Community on Sunday night following reports of water leaks. The Hilton Fire Department said the water appeared to be coming from the roof of the facility, and was related to the significant rain and melting snow in the area.
The heaviest ice accumulation in the Northeast was expected to occur between midnight and 10 a.m. on Monday, according to the Weather Service. As of 9 a.m. on Monday, preliminary reports showed about one-fifth of an inch of ice at Syracuse Hancock International Airport in New York, and more than half an inch was recorded farther north, in Newcomb. More than a quarter inch of ice was recorded in parts of Vermont, according to preliminary reports.
More than half of the counties in New York are under a state of emergency that Governor Hochul declared on Friday after another winter storm system brought heavy snowfall, including the heaviest snow accumulation in New York City in nearly four years.
Nazaneen Ghaffar contributed reporting.
Jin Yu Young is a reporter and researcher for The Times, based in Seoul, covering South Korea and international breaking news.
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