A powerful winter storm threatens the US East Coast with heavy snow and strong winds, prompting the first blizzard warning for New York City since 2017.
ISTANBUL: Blizzard warnings have been issued for a wide stretch of the US East Coast. A powerful winter storm threatens heavy snow, strong winds, and coastal flooding from the Mid-Atlantic to New England.
The US National Weather Service said nearly 30 million people are under blizzard warnings from Sunday morning through Monday afternoon. This includes residents of New York City, where snowfall could reach up to 18 inches, with as much as 2 feet possible in some areas.
The warnings span from Delaware to southern Connecticut. The heaviest snowfall is expected Sunday night into early Monday.
Snowfall rates could exceed 1 to 2 inches per hour at times. This marks the first blizzard warning issued for New York City since 2017.
Forecasters warned that sustained winds of 25-35 mph could reduce visibility to near zero. They also increase the risk of power outages and coastal flooding.
Travel conditions are expected to become “dangerous, if not impossible”. This is particularly true for Monday morning and evening commutes in major cities like Washington, DC, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston.
Washington, DC, is forecast to see a mix of rain and snow early Sunday. It will transition to all snow by midday, with accumulations of up to 5 inches expected.
Philadelphia could receive up to 12 inches. New York City and surrounding areas may see 15-20 inches or more, depending on the storm’s track.
Meteorologists described the system as a classic nor’easter. It is expected to develop off the coast of the Carolinas before rapidly intensifying as it tracks northward.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said sanitation crews were preparing more than 700 salt spreaders. They are also outfitting 2,200 vehicles with ploughs ahead of the storm.
A workforce of 2,600 employees is scheduled to begin operations early Sunday. This includes 1,000 emergency snow shovellers.
The city is also inviting residents to sign up as paid emergency snow shovellers. They can register at local sanitation facilities as the storm begins.
(Bernama-Anadolu)
The Sun Malaysia
