Thursday Updates: Read the latest weather news here.
Heavy snow, rain and strong winds from two storms that hit the Northeast and California eased on Wednesday, but still threatened to wreak havoc on both coasts due to flooding, power outages and travel problems.
Both regions are bracing for more snow, rain and other winter weather throughout Wednesday, although most winter storm warnings were lifted during the day.
Drilling was underway in places like Peterborough, New Hampshire, and Ashby, Massachusetts, where nearly 3 feet of heavy, wet snow fell. At least two feet fell in parts of upstate New York and the Catskill Mountains, the National Weather Service said.
Meanwhile, parts of northern and central California hit by the latest “atmospheric river” could see additional snow accumulations on Wednesday, the weather service said. In recent months, California has been the target of 10 weather rivers — long columns of moisture from the Pacific Ocean — and powerful storms fueled by Arctic air that create blizzard conditions.
“This powerful storm is expected to produce heavy mountain snow and gusty winds from the Sierra into the central and northern Rockies,” meteorologist Paul Ziegenfelder said Wednesday.
Developments:
► Many of the hundreds of districts that closed schools on Tuesday reopened Wednesday, though some were operating on delayed schedules.
►New York, Vermont and Massachusetts were the three Northeastern states that recorded 3 feet of snow.
►The dome of an inflatable sports arena collapsed in Goffstown, New Hampshire, after 15 inches of snow fell. No injuries were reported.
► Several cows died when a barn collapsed on a dairy farm in Dracut, Massachusetts. The owners of Shaw Farm said no employees were injured.
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Thousands without electricity; Improved air traffic
Nearly 160,000 homes and businesses across New York and New England were still without power Wednesday afternoon, and nearly 180,000 remained in the dark in California, most of them in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Power was restored to many customers in the Northeast by Wednesday night, but more than 50,000 were still experiencing power outages in New England. In California, the number of power outages dropped by nearly half Wednesday evening.
A spokesman for Unitel, which provides electricity and natural gas in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine, warned that it expects “restoration efforts to take several days.”
In California, “the most intense portion of the storm has mostly passed,” Pacific Electric & Gas tweeted. “Crews are working under difficult conditions to recover customers as safely and as quickly as possible.”
Nearly 2,000 flights were delayed or canceled at Boston's Logan, LaGuardia and Newark airports in New Jersey on Tuesday as the winter storm swept through the Northeast. As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 700 flights had been delayed or canceled at New York's LaGuardia and Kennedy airports alone.
70 mph winds and evacuations in California
Across California, about 27,000 people remained under evacuation orders, and more than 61,000 were under warnings to prepare to evacuate due to weather impacts, according to the California Office of Emergency Services.
On the central coast, workers transported trucks loaded with stones to fill a broken river dam amid continuous rain and winds. Damaging winds of up to 70 mph blew out windows, and there were numerous reports of downed trees.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Tuesday for three additional counties: Alpine, Orange and Trinity. They join 40 counties that have already declared a state of emergency since a series of severe winter storms began blowing across the state in the past few months. At Newsom's request, President Joe Biden issued a presidential emergency declaration last week authorizing federal assistance to support state and local storm response.
Winter storm hits New York, New England
A winter storm warning was lifted Wednesday morning for Pennsylvania, New York and parts of New England, where up to 10 inches of additional snow is expected to accumulate. Wind speeds in the area are expected to reach 45 mph.
The National Weather Service warned that travel in the area may still be difficult, and the weight of snow on tree branches is expected to cause more power outages. Officials advised that if people must travel, they should keep an extra flashlight, food and water in their cars.
Some New Englanders were amazed at the depth of the snow: “It snowed and snowed and snowed,” said Jeff Settles, a supervisor at a manufacturer who lives in Peterborough, New Hampshire. “My wife and I were helping some neighbors dig. Literally, we had to shovel five or six different times just to keep it from getting on our chest.
Settles, who grew up in Leominster, Massachusetts, remembers snowstorms there in the late 1970s. “I would say this is the most snow I've ever seen in my entire life,” he said Wednesday.
Freeze warnings and warnings hit the south
Freezing temperatures blanketed a swath of the Southeast from Arkansas to the Carolinas Wednesday morning, and another round of freezing weather is expected early Thursday in some states.
A freeze warning was in effect Thursday morning for parts of Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Temperatures are again expected to drop into the mid to upper 20s, according to the weather service.
- What is the difference between freeze watch and warning? According to the weather service, a freeze watch is issued “when there is a possibility of significant and widespread freezing temperatures.” But the freeze warning comes when these temperatures are “expected.”
What is an atmospheric river? These rivers of water vapor can extend for thousands of miles.
What defines a blizzard? It is expected that heavy snow and strong winds will sweep the country.
California is experiencing snowfall and flooding
The storm, creating an atmospheric river, is spreading across the state, AccuWeather meteorologists said.
More snow is expected in parts of the Golden State until late Wednesday. Snow accumulations of up to 10 inches were possible at elevations above 6,000 feet in western Plumas County and surrounding areas, and 20 inches was possible in areas above 8,000 feet. Wind speeds can reach 70 mph.
A flood watch was in effect through mid-afternoon Wednesday in parts of Los Angeles County and other parts of Southern California, and heavy rain could lead to flooding of rivers and streams. The National Weather Service warned of the possibility of “extensive street flooding” and the possibility of mudslides and rockslides.
California will see minor rain this weekend, followed by another major storm next week, the weather service said.
The storm ends water restrictions for some Southern California residents
About 7 million Southern Californians saw drought-related weather restrictions eased Wednesday after the state's 11th weather river of the season flooded parts of the state.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California lifted the restrictions, which included limiting outdoor watering to one day a week, in parts of Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino counties. The restrictions were imposed amid a historic drought.
Michael McNutt, spokesman for the Las Vergenes Municipal Water District, said the end of restrictions in Southern California is good news, but he cautioned people to continue to conserve water even in non-drought years.
“We all know the next drought is just around the corner,” he said on Wednesday. “We have to treat the water coming out of our taps as liquid gold.”
Contributing: The Associated Press
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