Winter storm whipping northeast US with snow, thunderstorms

Winter storm whipping northeast US with snow, thunderstorms
A person carries their dog as they cross Butler Street as snow falls during a winter storm that will impact the region on Sunday night, Jan. 16, 2022, in Lawrenceville a neighborhood in Pittsburgh. Credit: Alexandra Wimley/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP

A dangerous winter storm brought significant snowfall, strong thunderstorms and blustery winds to the northeastern U.S. on a holiday Monday.

A foot (30 centimeters) or more of snow fell in parts of New York state, Ohio and Pennsylvania Sunday night through Monday morning, and tens of thousands of customers in the region were without power.

Forecasters in Buffalo, New York, said the snow was falling fast, dumping almost 17 inches (43 centimeters) by 10 a.m. The city advised people not to travel if they didn't need to on this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, while some surrounding towns instituted a travel ban.

"WOW! (Latest) snow measurement at 1 AM was 4.6 inches in the last hour at the Buffalo Airport!" the National Weather Service in Buffalo tweeted overnight. "And tack on another 4 inches in the last hour ending at 2 AM! Total so far since late Sun evening - 10.2 inches."

The weather service said 17 inches (43 centimeters) or more of snow were reported in Ashtabula County in northeast Ohio.

"We've had a very strong area of low pressure that's kind of moved up the coast, with pretty heavy snowfall accumulations from Tennessee, North Carolina all the way into the northeast," said meteorologist Marc Chenard at the weather service's headquarters in College Park, Maryland.

Winter storm whipping northeast US with snow, thunderstorms
A pedestrian uses an umbrella as they cross Liberty Avenue, in downtown Pittsburgh, as snow begins to fall during a winter storm that will impact the region on Sunday night, Jan. 16, 2022. Credit: Alexandra Wimley/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP

New York City got less than an inch of snow, which was washed away by rain overnight. The said spotty showers and snow showers might continue through Monday night.

Forecasters said wind gusts in New York City could top out around 45 mph (72 kph), and around 60 mph (97 kph) on Long Island.

Sleet and rain were the main threats for much of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Periods of snowfall transitioned to rain overnight. NWS meteorologists in Boston said could reach 70 mph (113 kph).

The howling winds spread a fire that destroyed a motel and two other structures in coastal Salisbury, Massachusetts, early Monday.

The storm forced the closure of many COVID-19 vaccination and testing sites in the northeast Monday.

The massive winter system brought similar conditions Sunday to the Southeast, where thousands were still without power Monday.

  • Winter storm whipping northeast US with snow, thunderstorms
    A snowplow truck makes its way down Butler Street as snow falls during a winter storm that will impact the region on Sunday night, Jan. 16, 2022, in Lawrenceville a neighborhood in Pittsburgh. Credit: Alexandra Wimley/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP
  • Winter storm whipping northeast US with snow, thunderstorms
    Pedestrians cross Roberto Clemente Bridge in downtown Pittsburgh, as snow begins to fall during a winter storm that will impact the region on Sunday night, Jan. 16, 2022. Credit: Alexandra Wimley/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP
  • Winter storm whipping northeast US with snow, thunderstorms
    A sign prohibiting empty trailers and loaded doubles after 3 p.m. on Sunday can be seen along 376 West on Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022, in Pittsburgh. Six to 13 inches (15 to 33 centimeters) of snow was expected in parts of east-central Ohio and western Pennsylvania from Sunday afternoon. Credit: Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP
  • Winter storm whipping northeast US with snow, thunderstorms
    A cat plays in the snow during a huge winter storm in Mississauga, Ontario, on Monday, Jan. 17, 2022. Credit: Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP
  • Winter storm whipping northeast US with snow, thunderstorms
    Birds stand on a patch of ice in the Allegheny River on Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022, on the North Shore in Pittsburgh. Six to 13 inches (15 to 33 centimeters) of snow was expected in parts of east-central Ohio and western Pennsylvania from Sunday afternoon. Credit: Emily Matthew/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP
  • Winter storm whipping northeast US with snow, thunderstorms
    A person sweeps away snow on the sidewalk on 44th Street as snow falls during a winter storm that will impact the region on Sunday night, Jan. 16, 2022, in Lawrenceville a neighborhood in Pittsburgh. Credit: Alexandra Wimley/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP
  • Winter storm whipping northeast US with snow, thunderstorms
    People walk in the snow on Butler Street during a winter storm that will impact the region on Sunday night, Jan. 16, 2022, in Lawrenceville a neighborhood in Pittsburgh. Credit: Alexandra Wimley/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP
  • Winter storm whipping northeast US with snow, thunderstorms
    A snowplow truck waits at a stoplight on Liberty Avenue as snow falls during a winter storm that will impact the region on Sunday night, Jan. 16, 2022, in Lawrenceville a neighborhood in Pittsburgh. Credit: Alexandra Wimley/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP
  • Winter storm whipping northeast US with snow, thunderstorms
    Colin Queen clears the sidewalk along Fifth Street during a winter storm on Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022, in Winston-Salem, N.C. A winter storm brought a mix of snow, sleet and wind with accumulations totaling 2-3 inches in the Triad region. Credit: Allison Lee Isley/The Winston-Salem Journal via AP

Multiple states reported inches of snow, and two people died Sunday in North Carolina when their car drove off the road. The roof of a dormitory partially collapsed in the state at Brevard College, with officials saying it broke under the weight of . There were no injuries.

Severe thunderstorms in Florida spun up a tornado with 118 mph (190 kph) winds, destroying 30 mobile homes and majorly damaging 51 more. Three minor injuries were reported.

Wet roadways in the South were expected to refreeze Monday, creating icy conditions for motorists.

Plow trucks were scattered along roads and highways up the East Coast, working to clear the way for travelers. Some crashes were reported in the early morning hours, including an ambulance involved in a wreck on Interstate 279 in Pittsburgh, KDKA-TV reported. It was unclear whether anyone was injured.

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