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Subscribe to RSSUpdated at 4:20 a.m. ET: A powerful winter storm pounded the Northeast Saturday, with gusting winds and heavy snow causing power failures for hundreds of thousands of people, dozens of accidents and fuel shortages at gas stations.
At least one death was confirmed, a snow-related car accident in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
By 4:20 a.m. ET Saturday, 26 inches of snow had fallen at Hamden, Conn., with 22.4 inches at Upton, N.Y., and 15.3 in Portland, Maine, weather.com reported. New York City's Central park had 6.3 inches.
Blizzard warnings were issued for the New York City metro area, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, coastal New Hampshire and coastal Maine, weather.com added.
Forecasters said they expected Massachusetts to get the most snowfall, with an accumulation of up to 3 feet in some spots. The worst snowfall on record in Boston was a 27.5-inch blast a decade ago.
Coastal residents were warned that the winds could top 70 mph. Those living on north- and east-facing shorelines from Boston south to Cape Cod Bay were told to prepare for tides 2 to 4 feet above normal.
"Coastal flooding is expected on the Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts coastlines," the National Weather Service said.
"I'm really nervous," Kathy Niznansky, a 65-year-old teacher in coastal Fairfield, Conn. told The Associated Press. Niznansky is still recovering from flooding from Superstorm Sandy which arrived on her birthday and knocked her out of her house near the beach for two months. "Now I'm really worried about this tide tonight. I just don't want any more flooding."
In Massachusetts, gusts over 50 mph were reported in Boston and over 60 mph on Nantucket Island. Winds up to 75 mph were possible in Provincetown, forecasters said.
Police said hundreds of cars were stuck on the Long Island Expressway, NBC weatherman Al Roker said in a message on Twitter.
The winter storm gathered strength as two weather systems — a so-called clipper pattern sweeping across the Midwest and a band of rain from the South — converged over the Northeast early Friday.
By late Friday, the storm had arrived in earnest and was expected to pummel New England through Saturday and last as long as Sunday farther north.
Governors of New York, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island declared states of emergency.
More than 800 National Guard soldiers and airmen were activated in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York to provide roadway support, emergency transportation and back-up for first responders, the Department of Defense said Friday evening, while governors in the region warned people to get home and be prepared for power outages.
Airlines canceled more than 3,000 flights on Friday, Boston closed its subway, Amtrak suspended some service, and cities across the Northeast prepared to deploy an armada of snowplows and salt-spreading trucks.
More than half a million people were without power, including a whopping 389,000 customers in Massachusetts, 177,000 in Rhode Island and 35,000 in Connecticut, and more power failures were expected overnight.
For people in the blizzard’s path, forecasters and authorities had a clear message: Stay home.
Driving bans
Governors in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts announced restrictions on driving.
In the most sweeping ban, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick ordered all non-essential vehicles off the roads by 4 p.m. and said people should brace to be snowed in for two days. He said the storm was "profoundly different" from others the state has endured in recent years.
Gov. Dannel Malloy of Connecticut banned car traffic on limited-access highways starting at 4 p.m. State police reported nearly 100 minor accidents across the state by Friday afternoon.
"If you don't currently have a reason to be on the road, if you're not an emergency personnel that's required to report to work somewhere, stay home," Malloy said at a state armory news conference. "This is it. Things are starting to accumulate."
In the Poughkeepsie, N.Y. crash, a car driven by an 18-year-old female went out of control in the snow and struck Muril M. Hancock, 74, who was walking near the shoulder, police said. Hancock died from his injuries at the hospital.
The eastern part of Connecticut was experiencing white-out conditions late into the evening, the state's emergency operations center reported, and even snowplows were immobilized because of the weather.
Several motorists were reported stranded on snowed-in highways and interstates, but no injuries had been reported. Still, emergency crews were unable to respond due to the severe conditions.
A 19-car pileup on Interstate 295 in Falmouth, Maine, was blamed on the storm. Police said there were minor injuries.
Elsewhere, Rhode Island police asked people for loaner snowmobiles, and out-of-state utility crews headed for Connecticut to help.
Full coverage from The Weather Channel
Watch live video of the Northeast blizzard
Sandy survivors: It's like a repeat 'nightmare'
Airline cancellations piled up all morning. Almost 3,000 flights were scrapped for Friday and more than 1,000 more for Saturday, according to FlightAware.com.
At the major airports in New York and New England, most major airlines said they would shut down completely Friday afternoon.
Schools were closed in Boston and for most of New England on Friday. Patrick ordered non-essential state workers to stay home Friday and encouraged private employers to do the same.
In New York, the transit agency added more than 20 afternoon trains on its Metro-North commuter line from Grand Central Terminal to get people out of the city before the worst hit.
The Metro-North suspended service Friday night due to the storm. The Long Island Rail Road shut down service east of Speonk about 9 p.m.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg warned people to stay in and to use public transportation if they had to go out, although even that carried the possibility of disruptions. The city had 250,000 tons of salt at the ready for the roads.
He encouraged New Yorkers to stay in and cook a meal or read a good book.
"This is a very serious storm, and we should treat it that way," said Tom Prendergast, president of the agency that runs New York subways and buses.
The weather service warned that the combination of heavy snow and high winds would limit visibility and cause whiteout conditions at times.
"Those venturing outdoors may become lost or disoriented," the weather service said in an advisory issued for the Boston area.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Related:
The Weather Channel live stream
State-by-state impact of the storm
Show us your storm photos by adding #NBCNewsPics to your tweet or Instagram post, or upload your pictures directly by clicking the box below.
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Massachusetts had at least 3 storms that dropped 20-30 inches the winter of 2010-11 and no driving ban. It has truely become a full blown nanny state, yet since Kerry took his act national we needed another media whore. Duval Patrick is an Obama lapdog and never misses an opportunity to get his face all over the the news. The local news has hyped this storm since Monday and having experienced the Blizzard of 78 I guess I am one who's not falling for it.
I remember the blizzard of 78 well.
That's probably why the ban is in effect now. So the emergency crews can constantly work on the roads and keep ignoramouses out of ditches.
Slow down, pay attention, get rid of those totally misnamed 'all season tires' and get full blown snow tires. If you really want to go gung ho, get a 4x4 or all wheel drive. Usually unnecessary but on those rare occassions oh so helpful.
Well...
I just spent over two hours driving home from a friends house that is normally a 20 minute drive. I have a 4x4 truck with seriously good tires, and I can state things are really interesting in Connecticut now.
I had to dig out over a foot of snow away from my door just to get in my house, and they say this storm has just started to kick into high gear.
Whatever...
My generator is fueled and ready to go if needed. My 4x4 tractor is fueled and ready to go. I just tested my backup satellite ISP. And I have everything else I could possibly need to survive this storm.
A little music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ7LGwAuVy8
I’m ready to rumble in this storm.
We have icestorms where I live. That 2nhour drive that you did would not be possible at all. 4 wd does nothing on ice.
It does with metal on your tires...
There is no need to dig thse people out. Lets wait until the summer and see what is left. It will be like thining out the herd.
Most of the area is Liberal and on Entitlements. Just turn off the power
Sorry Pal but have you seen the Stock Market lately? Home values? Thanks Obama.
Fortunately, we dig ourselves out. Have had lots of experience. As far as entitlements are concerned, I've seen more entitlements passed out to corporations in the south, mid west and west then here. Lots of poor people getting food stamps etc. in the south and so on also. I agree that Ma.is a nanny state, Duval is an Obama slave and the Berkshires need to secede and join Vermont, a state with a truly liberal mind set. Minimal laws, the nanny stays home and the hunting and fishing are superb.
Might try google to see that the red states are the ones getting more then they pay in. Google can be your friend. Fox News not so much.
Well we ALL know MSNBC is nothing but liberal propaganda... even the liberals know this.. that is why they are all here.
I was watching Al Gores oops sorry now the big oil cable network and they said to blame the snow on global scamming. This will help increase the price of oil while amusing idiot liberals who like to listen to freaks in lab coats who live off tax payers.
Look if you been living on the East coast in the Mass. Conn. area for any length of time you see this kind of winter weather alot. Some years more then others. I was born and raised in that area and have seen my fare share of snow growing up. To the people still living there its just another winter day. But to the media its a event so they can cause panic like the pin heads in charge love to create. We all know by now that those in charge love this kind of event so they can cancel everything in site and round up all the little sheeple to see if they obey the king living in Washington. When I was younger and lived there you just got up off your butt and pulled the snowblower or whatever you had to remove the white stuff out and pushed it aside. We even made snowmen and threw snowballs at each other and when we got cold it was back in the house for something warm to drink. There was no panic with people running around dropping to there knees and crying.Its not the people living there. Its the media and the bone heads running the show who would have you believe that the end has come so they can put more rules on the public. Its about making money for the tube and seeing how we react to being rounded up like cattle and made to follow there rules so they can restrict us even more when the next so called storm comes along. I know theres a portion of public out there that have caught on to this kind of false over rated panic that has become the norm lately.
I don't get it. I live in Texas and EVERY YEAR we KNOW that it's going to be Hella Hot from May thru September. We KNOW it, we PREPARE for it and we SURVIVE WITHOUT CRYING in it... When I lived in West Virginia as a small child, I KNEW that huge storms with snow, sleet and rain happen from October thru March... the weather has basically stayed consistantly the same since, well, FOREVER. Same patterns, same times, same places, EVERY YEAR. THIS IS NOT NEWS, this is misery spreading. This is control of thought. This is stating the obvious. This is JUST WEATHER...
Ignorance is bliss, Ditto Head......
I lived here all my life. This is NOT just another winter day.
It is also not something I am in the least bit worried about...
some have all the dam luck where is our snow just not fair
Poor things. Try living with hurricanes. You are getting off easy there.
We had had Irene....Thousand still not back in their homes..$100billion in damaged to date and counting..100,000 in RI without power,temps at 20 degrees tonight.Two yrs ago Oct ,lost power for 7 days,the result of a freak show storm..
As long as they are people like you Bill...
Good...
The winds are picking up here now. The utilities are flickering on and off.
I think its time to fire up the generator and log onto my satellite ISP.
I always find a big storm energizes me in some way..
@pats2012-love your attitude.
Our government needs to do something to limit these heavy snowfalls. They close airports and tie up traffic.
Ban snow!
Lol
Millions of counts of snowball violence are predicted because of this illegal storm! Perpetrators are even building FORTS to launch their violent "cold" hearted attacks!
SOMETHING MUST BE DONE!!!
This could be a attack by the Sasquatch to take over America and turn it into their winter wonderland!
Someone must've taken their jerky!!!
OMG!! Thers a snow storm in the winter!!! HELPPPPPP... ?sarc tag for dummies
I just measured the snow on my deck. 18 inches so far.
I love it!
Though I may not be loving it so much tomorrow when I am shoveling it...
Sigh. Here we go again. A year ago last October we got wacked with exactly 24 inches of snow. We survived. The Gov. didn't shut down the state. Now, Boston and environs are getting slapped and he closes the whole freaking state. All vehicles off the road by four. We had a grand total of 2 inches in Otis, 1 inch in Lee and a whole 1/4 inch in Stockbridge. At five. It finally started doing some serious snowing about 6-7 with blowing etc. A whole foot to foot and a half is expected. Mr. Governor, we aren't Boston(thank the lord) and Boston isn't us. This is a snow storm here, not a massive blizzard. We'll deal with it. And yes, I drove after four. I checked on my mom in Stockbridge, driving from Otis and then drove home in Lee. Saw a lot of other vehicles, no accidents or cars sliding around. Course, there was mostly pavement for much of the trip. Going home there was some snow on the roads. Everybody drove slower and, again, saw zero accidents or mishaps. Winter in the Berkshires, the way it used to be.
He wanted to make sure people's selfishness didn't get in the way of clearing the roads. Wasting resources getting people out of a ditch, etc..
You know what they say, “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste"...
And how many sheeple will be screaming OMG my car is stuck, my power is out, I have no food or water, And I can't survive without immediate help from the government...
I will say pats, as much as I'd like to see some snow down here in Charlotte, I don't envy having to shovel all that crap out of the way tomorrow. That's awesome for now though you got 18 inches.
I wouldn't call 18 inches of snow "awesome" myself JJ.
More like more work this old man does not need now...
You probably got a point on that, I just haven't seen that much snow, so that was why I thought it was awesome.
New York and the rest of new England with their sorry ass liberal Dems. deserve it
Hey dickhead, That aint all that lives here.
And I am really getting sick of listening to those media generated names like liberal and conservative that try to pit Americans against one-another!
pats I think that is what they really want. They scream liberals every time something happens including the weather. Pathetic.
Can't argue with a fellow Eagle... sometimes...
the people who are crying about the Storm should learn how to live where it snows. another thing it isn't going to last forever just wait until its over. it can't be that long.
Just like the norm, the lower class pays for the disaster, the upper class absorbs the profit from the disaster, but doesn't contribute to the disaster. Nothing knew...next !!! ?
wallacet1947
A GED grad I see. A Rush Limpaw listener. Today Rush didn't know the difference between CO2 and CO. One and the same to him. Rush's last science and only science class was in the 7th grade,
As were yours. I would appreciate it if you actually made a point in your messages. you just spill bull@!$%# everwhere
Well folks, really sorry. Think you've just had about enough of this weather. But the storm will pass and you will recover. I live in New Mexico and been having a drought for three years. Of course, in New Mexico we are always in perpetual drought. It won't pass as quickly as your snow storm. So, pleeeeeeeeeese, send me some snow!
Rain! Anything wet! Heck, send me some ocean!
Anyway, good luck with yours.
Nature must be a republican...why else are the blue states getting hit with severe storms?
@debbierl--I totally get your point. Good post.
@libertyforyou
I'll send you some good ole New England snow my friend. I'll even pay the shipping :=)
I'll be waiting at the mail box and thank you.
WOuld you people in the northeast just SHUT UP?!!! My god. "THIS IS IT!!!!!" "THE BIGGEST STORM EVA!!!" (northeast accent) GET OVER IT! It's F'NG WINTER! We, here in the midwest would simply be chillin', cookin' up some hot libations, breaking out the board games and making the best of it!
OVER 100 MILLION PEOPLE WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS MONSTER - KILLER - STORM!!!!!!!
SHUT UP! Enjoy digging out and too bad you can't send that snow back this way! We would LOVE IT! F'n PU$$IE$
its not the folks in NE making alll this .....its the a hole media/.../,./,.,./. most of us love it
WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
I think God is trying to tell you all to wake up!!
Frigging Gods!
Nonsense! It ain't a mammoth winter until a mammoth walks by.