Snow squalls, characterized by sudden heavy snow and strong winds, generated whiteout conditions across parts of the Northeast on Thursday, coinciding with a storm that continued to impact the Great Lakes region. In upstate New York, officials reported that two individuals suffered fatal heart attacks while shoveling snow.
These incidents were noted on Wednesday in Erie County in western New York, where consistent snowfall has been occurring since the conclusion of the Thanksgiving weekend, significantly ahead of the official winter start date of December 21. In Buffalo and neighboring areas, schools shuttered their doors on Thursday, while traffic disruptions unfolded on highways due to several inches of snow that fell overnight.
Travel restrictions were enforced in northeast Ohio along Lake Erie, where up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) of snow had accumulated from prior storms, with predictions for additional snowfall. Pennsylvania’s lake region was placed under a blizzard warning until early Saturday, and speed limits were reduced on major highways. Counties adjacent to this region faced lake-effect snow alerts.
Ohio’s Governor, Mike DeWine, declared a state of emergency in four counties in anticipation of more lake-effect snow that could yield an additional foot (30 centimeters) through Friday, as advised by the National Weather Service.
In Ashtabula, Ohio, crews were engaged in clearing snow from rooftops in preparation for the impending snow accumulation. The local fire chief reported that their department had responded to over 100 snow-related emergencies, including incidents of collapsed roofs, downed power lines, and requests for medical assistance.
Power outages began to escalate as the storm advanced. Pennsylvania reported over 14,000 residents without power by Thursday morning. In Connecticut, nearly 11,000 were left in the dark, while wind damage in Virginia affected more than 12,000 customers.
According to Eversource spokesperson Sarah Paduano, the outages in Connecticut were primarily attributed to trees falling onto power lines. “Our crews are working diligently to repair and restore power in numerous locations across the state swiftly and safely,” Paduano stated.
The storm brought up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) of snow to various areas in northern Connecticut and around 9 inches (about 23 centimeters) to parts of northwestern Massachusetts.
At the Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont, skiing enthusiasts were thrilled with the wintry conditions. “It’s fantastic to see snow in the mountains right now,” remarked Cyrus Schenck from Burlington, Vermont. “It’s early December, and while it can be unpredictable, everything is covered beautifully.”
Matt Wells, visiting Stowe from near Columbus, Ohio, remarked on the uniqueness of the snow in the area, hoping for more trails to be opened soon. “You don’t see this in Ohio, but it’s great to experience. We’re eager to see a few more trails available, though the ones open are pretty good,” he shared.
Meanwhile, some residents affected by the ongoing winter weather were quickly tiring of it, even though the season’s official start was still two weeks away. In Lake County, Ohio, a man might face legal consequences for reportedly tossing a shovel full of snow onto a plow driver after the plow had cleared a snow pile into his driveway.
Hazardous driving conditions from the overnight snowfall resulted in multiple accidents on the roadways of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Consequently, several schools in New England either delayed opening or closed for the day.
Maine’s state government in Augusta opened late to ensure safe travel, as per Governor Janet Mills. “Drive safely and remember to give ample space to road crews and emergency responders,” Mills advised in a public statement.
