Winter weather alerts are in effect for almost five million people in the southern Appalachians and the Great Lakes.Monday morning: The snow and rain that have caused travel disruptions in the Northeast after the holidays are expected to persist well into the workweek.
Since the current winter storm started, parts of New York have already received up to 58 inches, or almost five feet, of snow, with at least 30 inches falling in Erie, Pennsylvania.
With lake effect snow warnings still in place for Cleveland, Ohio, and Erie, Pennsylvania, and snow in regions downwind of Lake Erie expected to persist at least into Wednesday, many people are still facing the brunt of the winter storm.
In other areas, Syracuse, New York, and the Michigan peninsulas are under winter storm warnings and advisories.
Today, 1 to 2 inches of snow might fall in affected areas every hour, impairing visibility and possibly posing a threat. The National Weather Service predicted that temperatures in the Ohio Valley, the Mid-Atlantic, and portions of the Plains will be 10 to 15 degrees below normal.
On one of the busiest travel days of the year, an Arctic blast slammed through northern states on Sunday, bringing perilous conditions to the Great Lakes, Midwest, and northern Plains.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced on X that the restriction on buses, commercial trucks, and tractor-trailer trucks would end at two in the AM ET.
State police in live-saving rescue
New York State Troopers had to rescue a 64-year-old woman who had become trapped on a snowy highway while traveling for a heart transplant procedure. A battery-operated pump kept the woman’s heart beating as her husband drove her from Rochester to Cleveland for the crucial treatment. The spouse managed to get in touch with a Cleveland nurse who alerted state police.
Before being transported to Cleveland for the transplant, the troopers took her to a nearby hospital.
“The actions of the Troopers, medical staff, and transportation teams highlight how critical teamwork and quick thinking can save lives, even in the face of severe weather conditions,” the New York State Police said in a statement.
The force reported that it assisted 111 disabled vehicles and looked into 82 crashes that caused property damage and seven collisions that caused personal injuries during the winter weather that lasted from Thanksgiving through Sunday.
With temperatures in Tallahassee of about 33 degrees Fahrenheit, significantly below the seasonal average, and a freeze warning affecting 3 million people in northern Florida and southern Georgia, the Southeast is not immune to the cold wave.
Record travel holiday weekend
With 2.8 million travelers expected to depart on Saturday—a million more than on the same day in 2023—the Thanksgiving holiday is expected to break new travel records.
People returning home after seeing loved ones were observed trekking from toll booths to terminals on Sunday due to the heavy traffic at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. On X late Sunday, the airport reported that gridlock had subsided, but it nevertheless cautioned travelers to give themselves more time.
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