A storm that had already brought heavy spring snow to parts of the Great Lakes region this week moved east Wednesday, bringing heavy snow, pouring rain and strong winds from upstate New York to northern New England, the National Weather Service said. did. .
Here are the main things you need to know on Wednesday:
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About 4 million people, mostly in New England, were under winter storm warnings from late Wednesday night into Thursday.
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Much of northern New England and the northeastern Adirondacks is expected to receive 1 to 2 feet of snow by Thursday.
Forecasters expect 2 to 3 inches of rain to fall in the New York City area by Thursday night, according to the National Weather Service. A high wind warning was in effect Wednesday for the New York City area, including Long Island, New Jersey, southern Westchester County, New York, and coastal Connecticut, with wind gusts up to 90 mph along the coast. Flood warnings were issued for most of these areas Wednesday afternoon.
The further north you go, the more water it will get, including around Buffalo. Meteorologists said continued rain totals of 1.5 to 2.5 inches could cause flooding across Western New York into Thursday afternoon, potentially causing flooding in urban areas and along rivers and streams. be.
A winter storm warning was issued Wednesday night for parts of western Massachusetts, including Worcester and Fitchburg, and parts of southern New Hampshire, including Portsmouth and Keene, the Boston Weather Service said.
“The snow will be wet and dense,” the department said, noting that the highest chance of snow accumulation will be Wednesday evening.
the strongest wind, Reach a top speed of 59 mphwas expected in Massachusetts and Rhode Island until noon Thursday.
A winter storm warning was also in effect for the Burlington, Vermont area until Friday morning.
“For us, the danger is really two-pronged,” Rodney Chai, chief meteorologist for the Burlington Weather Bureau, said early Wednesday.
“One is the heavy snow that will start late this afternoon and continue for most of tomorrow,” he said. “And another danger will be damage from the strong winds that blow along the back of the Green Mountains.”
Chai warned that maximum winds of 70 mph overnight along downslope regions of the West could cause widespread power outages, and that these winds could be localized throughout Vermont's high mountain passes. It added that regional whiteout and blizzard conditions could occur.
Snowfall varies depending on altitude. Chai said up to 7 inches of snow could fall in the region's valley areas, with 6 to 15 inches expected above 1,000 feet, with up to 2 feet of snow expected in some areas by Friday morning. is expected.
Crossing Vermont can be difficult and perhaps impossible in the mountain passes. Dangerous conditions will also make commuting difficult Thursday morning.
“The combination of wet snow, high snowfall levels, and strong wind gusts could result in tree damage and power outages,” the weather bureau said in a statement Wednesday night.
The National Weather Service in Gray, Maine, issued a similar warning, saying: Moist flakes began to fall early Wednesday afternoon in southwestern New Hampshire.
While some New England residents may be caught off guard by a nor'easter just days after Easter break and during spring break in many school districts, snow in April is not unusual. said Chai.
“People may be a little shocked because we've had some nice spring-like weather and this winter has been unusually warm,” he said. “People may have gotten a little too comfortable.”
Johnny Diaz and orlando mallorquin Contributed to the report.