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A fast-moving nor'easter dumped snow on New York City and other major Northeast metropolitan areas Tuesday morning, causing power outages and disrupting travel, work and school. Snow has stopped in many areas, but will not let up in parts of New England until Tuesday afternoon. Here's the latest:
• Prediction: As of Tuesday morning, parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania had more than a foot of snow.
• New York City: New York City could see its heaviest snowfall in more than two years on Tuesday. Most of the heavy snow fell in the morning, but will continue before tapering off in the afternoon. Snow totals range from 5 to 8 inches.
Boston: Boston is under a winter weather advisory until 7 p.m., with the city in store for 3 to 5 inches of snow, heavy downpours and wind gusts of 35 mph until 2 p.m. The snow is expected to end around 6pm
• Power interruptions: More than 130,000 customers were without power in Pennsylvania and thousands more in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Maryland, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Virginia. PowerOutage.us. More power outages are possible in the area, as thick, wet snow and gusts of up to 40 mph could damage trees and power lines, the National Weather Service said. said.
• Affected Schools: New York City Public Schools will be closed Tuesday. Elsewhere, classes have been canceled in city districts including Boston; Newark, New Jersey; and New Haven, Connecticut.
• A rough Tuesday morning commute: Officials have warned that snow and rain will cause hazardous travel conditions. More than 250 car accidents have been reported to New Jersey State Police, Gov. Bill Murphy said during an interview with 1010 WINS Tuesday morning. In Boston, “commuting will quickly become difficult Tuesday morning due to low visibility and snow-covered roads that will continue into the afternoon,” the weather service said. Advised. The Massachusetts governor said it could take some time to clear roads as wet snow and freezing temperatures lead to icy conditions.
• Residents are urged to stay at home: Governors of several states, including New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts, are urging people to work from home and avoid non-essential travel amid concerns about snow and strong winds. The New Jersey Department of Transportation issued a Commercial vehicle ban Tuesday for several inter-state highways in coordination with other states.
• More than 1,000 flights were cancelled: Air traffic across the region has already been affected. More than 1,000 flights were canceled across the United States on Tuesday, most in or out of major airports in New York, Boston and New Jersey. FlightAware.
• Strong winds and coastal flooding: A coastal flood warning is in effect for the Manasquan, New Jersey area until 3 a.m. Wednesday. National Weather Service. Coastal flooding of 2 to 3 feet is possible during high tides from New Jersey to southern New England, including Long Island and Connecticut. Wind gusts of up to 45 mph are possible on the coast. Cape Cod can see wind gusts of up to 60 mph.
With many cities in the Northeast recording their warmest winter ever, the foggy weather will change the pace of the region. Historically, due to such nor'easters, February is the snowiest month of the year for many major cities in the region.
“This is how Mother Nature sends her love for Valentine's Day, the biggest snowstorm to hit New York City in three years,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul told 1010 Wins Tuesday morning. “We've been preparing for this, and as you can see it's starting to take shape now.”
New York City's Central Park saw more than an inch of snow just before 8 a.m. Tuesday, the National Weather Service said.
Officials are working to run trains and subway lines as close to schedule as possible, Hochul said.
“People are used to a very mild winter, so take all necessary precautions,” Hochul said on Monday. “If you can work remotely, that's great because as always we want to make sure our roads are clear for the plows.”
The governor on Tuesday acknowledged that winter storms can be treacherous at times, but encouraged New Yorkers to enjoy the snow.
“It's a great day for kids to stay home doing their distance learning,” Hochul said. “Make sure the kids do their work, but at the end of the school day, go out and have fun.”
In Massachusetts within sight of Boston Up to 7 inches Gov. Maura Healy warned that snow may be too heavy for plowing to handle.
In New Jersey, Murphy warned people to “take this seriously” as parts of the state are looking at heavy, wet snow. The state's transport commissioner urged residents to stay at home and exercise “extreme caution” if they must venture out.
CNN Meteorologists Mary Gilbert, Eric Jerkel and Sarah Tonks and CNN's Rob Freese, Sarah Dewberry, Nic F. Anderson, Nikki Brown and Celina Tebor contributed to this report.