By DAVE COLLINS (Associated Press)
A major spring storm brought heavy snow, rain, and strong winds to the Northeast late Wednesday and Thursday, resulting in over 680,000 power outages across the region, mainly in Maine and New Hampshire. A woman was fatally injured by a falling tree in a New York City suburb.
Parts of northern New England could receive up to two feet of snow by Thursday evening, and coastal areas as well as inland could experience wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph (80 to 97 kph), according to the National Weather Service.
There were reports of trees and power lines falling across the region. In more southern areas, the main impact was heavy rain, causing flooding in some places.
Chris Legro, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Maine, mentioned that it was the most significant April nor’easter in the region since 2020. He also shared that he had to take alternative routes to his office on Thursday morning due to downed power lines.
Legro stated, “It’s definitely going to be one that people remember for a little while.”
On late Wednesday afternoon, a tree fell on a vehicle in the Westchester County, New York, hamlet of Armonk, resulting in the death of a woman who was alone inside, as reported by the police.
Heavy snow made travel dangerous in northern parts of New England and New York. A crash led to the closure of Interstate 95 northbound near Lewiston, Maine, on Thursday morning.
Numerous flights at airports in the region were either canceled or delayed. Many schools and government offices in the northern areas remained closed.
The state government was shut down in Maine, where a special commission investigating the October mass shooting in Lewiston had to postpone a scheduled hearing.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills advised, “We recommend that you stay off the roads if you can, but if you must travel during the storm, be sure to give plow trucks, utility crews, and emergency first responders plenty of room as they work to keep us safe.”
Utilities in northern New England stated they were ready for the storm, but power restoration could still take a long time.
Jon Breed, spokesperson for Central Maine Power, warned, “Weather conditions are going to be hazardous on Thursday, and we ask everyone to use caution on the roads.”
Boston experienced strong winds and heavy rain. Staff at the New England Aquarium carried out an inspection of the roof to ensure that nothing could blow into the sea lion habitat, which is partially exposed to the outdoors. The storm surprised some visitors.
Claire Saussol, a visitor from France, shared, “I just saw the wind and the rain and I just bought this little poncho to protect myself. I wasn’t prepared with the warm clothes. It’s worse than the north of France! Very worse, but it’s ok. It’s a pretty city.”
At the same time, cleanup efforts continued in several states affected by tornadoes and other severe weather, which resulted in at least three deaths.
Forecasters predicted that heavy, wet snow would continue across Wisconsin and Upper Michigan until Thursday, with overall accumulations of 6 to 10 inches (15 to 20 centimeters) possible in far-northern Wisconsin, 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) in Madison, and just a small amount in Milwaukee.
Earlier in the week, strong weather caused power outages for many homes and businesses in several states. Tornadoes occurred in Oklahoma, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia.
In northeastern Oklahoma on Tuesday, severe storms produced three possible tornadoes and brought heavy rainfall. This weather led to the death of a 46-year-old homeless woman in Tulsa who was seeking shelter inside a drainage pipe.
In Pennsylvania, an elderly woman in her 80s died in the Philadelphia suburb of Collegeville on Wednesday when a tree fell on her car, according to officials.
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