- Dozens of flights in Boston and Newark were canceled or delayed.
- Power outages are increasing in Massachusetts.
- More than 12 inches of snow fell in Orange County, New York.
As communities in the Northeast clean up from Winter Storm Ember, residents in the South and along parts of the East Coast are preparing for what comes next.
The second storm, named Finn, is targeting the Plains, Midwest and Great Lakes with snow, wind and hazardous travel conditions, as well as severe weather including tornadoes in the South and flooding in the East.
All of this could lead to potentially deadly weather as the week approaches.
Here's what's happening now:
(2:05 p.m. ET) Severe weather threat increases
From Weather.com Meteorologist Aurellon Sidney: We now have the Finnish winter storm bringing us a high chance of severe weather on the Gulf Coast. I especially want to head to the central Gulf, from near New Orleans to Mobile to the Florida Panhandle. This is the area where we will primarily be looking for strong tornadoes during the overnight period from Monday night into Tuesday morning. I'm concerned about straight-line winds causing damage, hail, and possibly tornadoes, some of which are potentially strong.
(1:50 p.m. ET) The official says “Just Snow” will be easier than this double whammy
Some of New York's heaviest snowfall occurred in the Hudson Valley, where observers in Orange County reported more than a foot falling in some locations. Alan Mack, Orange County's deputy emergency management commissioner, told The Weather Channel he expects road conditions to be good by Monday morning.
But what comes next makes him even more worried.
“We'll see what happens Tuesday and Wednesday with Winter Storm Finn,” Mack said. “From a public safety standpoint, we are concerned about the amount of snowmelt combined with the rain that could give us some localized flooding in areas that were hit hard in July and have yet to recover since then. It would be easier if it was just snow.”
At least one person died in Orange County flooding in July, flooding streets and trapping people in homes and cars.
(1:34 p.m. ET) A large-scale cleanup is underway in New Hampshire before the next storm moves in
From Weather.com writer Jane Jordan: With a Monday morning commute and another winter storm on the horizon, snow removal crews in Salem, New Hampshire, were out in full force.
Parts of the state recorded more than a foot of snow over the weekend as the region saw its first significant snowfall in nearly two years.
Drone video showed the efforts of emergency personnel placing shovels on sidewalks and setting fires on roofs, hoping to remove the worst of it before the Monday morning flight.
(11:30 a.m. ET) Winter storm in pictures
From snowplows to snowplows to canceled flights, photos show the effects of winter storm Imber. Click through the slideshow below here to view them, or go to our photo page here. We'll be adding more throughout the day, so be sure to check back for more.
A plow clears snow from Broadway in Methuen, Massachusetts, on Sunday, January 7, 2024. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)
(11:06 a.m. ET) High winds in the Northeast, including Boston and Philadelphia
From Weather.com Meteorologist Aurelon Sydney: Winter Storm Ember is heading off the East Coast. You will find less snow but the wind is still strong, surprisingly strong in fact. In some locations, speeds will be 20, 25, 30 mph, or even a little more by Monday morning.
(10:25 a.m. ET) That's why we call Finn the “Kitchen Sink Storm.”
From Chief Meteorologist Chris Dolce: Finn's threats cover a wide range and the storm is just getting started in the west.
Areas from the Central Plains to the Upper Midwest and parts of the western and northern Great Lakes will see a combination of snow and strong winds, contributing to low visibility and hazardous travel conditions Monday into Tuesday.
In the South, we expect severe weather to bring damaging winds and tornadoes along the Gulf Coast on Monday and Monday night, spreading to parts of Florida and the Southeast Coast on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Northeast will see heavy rain that could cause flooding Tuesday night and Tuesday, especially when the ground is saturated and where snowmelt from Ember increases runoff.
The front will bring strong winds, with wind speeds along the northeast coast likely reaching 40 to 50 mph Tuesday night, which could cause some tree damage and/or power outages. Coastal flooding also poses a threat as those winds push water onto the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast coasts.
A look at possible snow and rain amounts from Winter Storm Finn.
(10:12 a.m. ET) Is New York over the snow drought?
In short, no.
“New York City saw a flurry of snow late Saturday before the precipitation turned to rain,” says Chris Dolce, chief meteorologist at Weather.com. “Central Park officially measured 0.2 inches, so the record-long stretch without snow in a single day continues and is now growing by nearly 700 days.”
(9:50 a.m. ET) What's next? Scranton, Pennsylvania, flood monitoring
With the worst effects of Ember gone, some cities are turning toward the possibility of flooding from the next system, Winter Storm Finn.
That includes Scranton, Pennsylvania, where Lackawanna County Emergency Management Director Tommy Taylor spoke to The Weather Channel this morning.
“So, what we're doing now is we're monitoring the river levels, which are very low right now in Lackawanna County,” Taylor said. “But with snow accumulation and rain expected, we will just monitor river levels and let areas experiencing frequent flooding know when to act.”
Meanwhile, earlier drone footage showed snow accumulating on vehicles, homes and roads in the near suburbs of Philadelphia before the storm turned to sleet and rain.
Suburbs near Philadelphia recorded up to 3 inches before the storm turned to sleet and rain.
(8:34 a.m. ET) Snow and ice aren't the only concerns
Winter Storm Finn brings more than just snow and ice.
Warm air Monday and Tuesday ahead of the Finnish weather is set for severe weather in the south and flooding and high winds in some areas along the east coast.
Severe thunderstorms are possible along the Gulf Coast from Texas to the Florida Panhandle on Monday, spreading across the rest of the Southeast on Tuesday, with heavy rain possible along portions of the I-95 corridor into the Northeast.
(8:25 a.m. ET) Winter Storm Finland and Ember follow Winter Storm
Be sure to check these links for the latest updates from our meteorologists:
– Finn winter storm forecast
– Severe weather forecast for winter storm Finn
– Winter storm forecast
– Track Ember Maps
(8:21 a.m. ET) More than 2,000 snowmobiles have been deployed in Massachusetts
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation conducts snow and ice operations statewide.
The department has 2174 pieces of patrol, sawing and plowing equipment, according to an update posted earlier this morning.
The state's Route 511 condition map currently shows no major accidents, but travelers should check road conditions before heading out.
A truck shovels snow on a street in Closter, New Jersey, on January 6, 2024.
(Kina Bettencourt/AFP via Getty Images)
(8:08 a.m. ET) Accidents and vehicle stalls block Interstate 90
A video shared by Live Storms Media showed several wrecked vehicles parked in the snowy darkness along Interstate 90 between Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts.
(7:53 a.m. ET) Drivers in New York are told to stay home
New York State Police advised motorists to stay off the roads if possible.
“If you must get out, give yourself extra time, move slowly and look for any drivers, emergency vehicles or maintenance,” the agency said in a Facebook post. “Also, bringing essentials like non-perishable food and water, a blanket, shovel, flashlight, cell phone, and charger is crucial in case you become stranded.”
(7:30 a.m. ET) Flights delayed and canceled in Boston, Newark
More than 160 flights have already been canceled or delayed this morning at Boston Logan International Airport, according to airline tracking firm FlightAware. About 100 flights have been affected so far at Newark Liberty Airport.
Major airlines including Delta, United and Southwest are waiving change fees at major airports in the path of winter storm Ember.
(7:12 a.m. ET) More than a foot of snow in some areas
More than 12 inches of snow were reported in the Orange County, New York, town of Unionville. Other reports of higher snow from the Northeast include:
– 12.6 inches near Wantage Township, New Jersey.
-12 inches in Norfolk, Connecticut.
-12 inches in Blakeslee and Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.
– 9.1 inches in Sterling, Massachusetts.
(7:07 a.m. ET) Power outages have begun in Massachusetts
Nearly 13,000 people are without power in Massachusetts, almost all of them in Middlesex and Worcester counties, according to PowerOutage.us. Those counties include the cities of Concord, Lexington, Worcester and Leominster.
If you have a power outage and are running a generator or using another heat source such as a heater, remember to protect yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning. Never use a generator indoors, and always have carbon monoxide alarms on every floor of your home. Read more carbon monoxide safety tips here.
Weather.com Reporter Jean Childs Covers breaking news and features on weather, space, climate change, environment and everything in between.
The Weather Company's primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment, and the importance of science in our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
