Christmas in the dark? Storm brings ice and outages to Midwest, Northeast

 The Midwest was hammered by deadly storms and flooding over the weekend and ice storms ravaged parts of the Northeast, while record warm weather was reported along the east coast. NBC's Dylan Dreyer reports.By Alexander Smith and Elisha Fieldstadt, NBC NewsThousands of people faced the prospect of spending the holidays in the dark, after a huge ice storm knocked out power throughout the Midwest and New England.Almost 400,000 homes and businesses in Michigan, upstate New York and northern New England remained without electricity Monday morning after thick ice felled trees and brought down power lines, according to utilities companies.While lights came back on in upstate New York and Vermont, power companies in Michigan and Maine reported larger numbers of outages as the sun set on Monday.Brad Hoving, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids, Mich. – the state with a bulk of the remaining power outages — said many people may still be using candlelight until Thursday."It's a big deal," Hoving told The Associated Press. "It's Christmas and we've just had a major ice storm."The Red Cross set up a shelter at Middleville, Mich., United Methodist Church, but Pastor Tony Shumaker said the crowd was getting too big and needed additional accommodations like showers, so they would be moving to a local school. Church members planned to cook a Christmas dinner and bring it to the school for people who were still without power on Wednesday, Shumaker said.Shumaker said regardless of the inconvenient timing of lost power, the people housed at the church “seem to be in pretty decent spirits, they’re glad to have a warm place to go to.”One of Michigan’s power providers, DTE, said crews were working “around the clock” and 90 percent of the 83,000 customers without electric would be restored by Christmas Eve.Stephanie Burnham, in Clarkston, Mich., was one of the luckier people who had their power restored."We had just finished making dinner and ... we cleaned everything up. Then our power went out, so we got all our candles and set up our generator," she told ClickOnDetroit.com."They told us it wouldn't be back until Christmas so we were like, 'Oh no all of our food!' But they did a great job."More than 1,000 utility workers from other companies and states headed to Michigan to help Consumers Energy customers out of the dark. Still, Consumers said more than 200,000 remained without power, and many areas in the southwest portion of Michigan would not have their electricity fully restored until after the holiday.“We might be spending Christmas at a middle school,” said Dawn Bishop, whose town of Dutton, Mich., lost power on Sunday. She said she was “a little nervous” about the possibility, but that she, her husband and her son — who is special needs — have been “taken care of very well” by the Red Cross. While Bishop’s Christmas plans remained uncertain, she stayed optimistic. “I’m sure we’ll be home by New Years,” she said.Michigan was hit with half an inch of ice over the weekend, said Brian Hurley, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service. “A quarter inch of ice is pretty damaging. When you talk about a half inch, that’ll take down trees and power lines,” Hurley said.By Monday morning, “you could skate down our road,” Bishop said.Heavy snowfall buried parts of the northern Midwest, with the heaviest covering coming in Larned, Kan., which saw over 15 inches. Mike Groll / APHeather Griffin, of Buffalo, N.Y., and her dog Sal walk beneath ice-covered trees on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2013, in Buffalo. Snow and ice knocked out power in parts of Michigan, New England and upstate New York over the weekend. The storm also saw some 1,200 U.S. flights canceled over the weekend and delayed another 15,000, according to the aviation-tracking website FlightAware.Nine deaths across the U.S. were blamed on the storm, the AP reported, including five people killed in Kentucky floodwaters and a woman in Arkansas following a 130-mph tornado.In Canada, an additional five people were killed in weather-induced highway accidents. While crews restored power to almost 100,000 Canadian customers on Monday, over 200,000 in Toronto were still in the dark, according to Toronto Hydro electric company.Elsewhere, New York City and Philadelphia saw record high temperatures, with shoppers taking to the streets in shirtsleeves. Still, temperatures would drop to seasonable levels by Tuesday.  “The front which was responsible for all of the precipitation has cold air behind it,” Hurley said.Kevin Roth, lead meteorologist at The Weather Channel, said on Monday the worst of the storm was over, save for “one last gasp” to trouble commuters in the Northeast trying to see their friends and families before Christmas.AAA predicted that a record-breaking 94.5 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more between Dec. 21 and Jan. 1."It will be a rough start to the week getting to grandma’s house," Roth told NBC News. "For anyone thinking of taking to the roads in the Northeast, based on the forecasts it would be better to leave it until Tuesday, when the weather is set to be a lot quieter."He said travel problems on Monday would be caused by a small amount of snowfall in northern Maine, around Caribou, as well as rain moving up from West Virginia to New England through the morning.Temperatures in Massachusetts are still right around freezing and the state could expect some freezing rain throughout the day.Other than that, Roth said, the weather would be quiet across the whole of the U.S. from Tuesday through the week.Hurley said last-minute travelers were fortunate that the extreme weather system made its way through the country over the weekend. “It’s going to be a pretty dry stretch here going into Christmas,” he said. On the downside, few would experience a white Christmas this year, Hurley said. The Associated Press contributed to this report.Related:This story was originally published on Mon Dec 23, 2013 4:37 PM EST

Snow, sleet and commuter chaos as winter storm pounds Northeast

 La tormenta de invierno mortal que dejó hasta un pie de nieve en el noreste y medio oeste arrojan las carreteras y los planes de vuelo, informa Paul Goodloe del canal meteorológico. Dylan Dreyer hoy pronostica entonces cómo el tiempo afectará a viajar el lunes.Por Alastair Jamieson y Daniella Silva, NBC NewsNieve, aguanieve y lluvia helada que plantea un peligro para los automovilistas en Nueva Inglaterra el domingo como una fuerte tormenta que se trasladó desde el medio oeste al noreste apedrearon la región con fuertes nevadas, obstaculizando los planes de viaje para los compradores de fin de semana y potencialmente para viajeros de lunes.Casi un pie de nieve se reportó en partes del centro de Pensilvania Sábado tarde como la expansión tormenta se movió hacia el este a Nueva Inglaterra, donde el servicio meteorológico nacional advirtió que Maine podría ver condiciones cerca-ventisca el domingo debido a nevadas y fuerte vientos antes de la tormenta se mueve hacia fuera.El domingo por la tarde, 17 pulgadas de nieve había acumulado en la costa sur de Maine, mientras que Massachusetts norte tiene 11 pulgadas y hasta 8 pulgadas cayó en partes de Rhode Island, según el servicio meteorológico nacional.Gunther CJ / EPAUna intensa nieve cae sobre las montañas arboladas en Lake Placid, Nueva York, 15 de diciembre de 2013.Cinco centímetros de nieve cayó en sábado de Central Park de Nueva York mientras que partes de Connecticut, Nueva York y norte de Nueva Jersey tiene siete pulgadas, dijo el servicio meteorológico nacional.La ciudad de Nueva York Departamento de saneamiento dijo que tenían los equipos arar toda la noche el sábado al domingo e instó a los residentes para raspar y sal sus aceras por último domingo por la mañana.El sol y temperaturas en los años 40 el domingo probablemente derretiría la acumulación, pero bajas temperaturas durante la noche en el lunes sería volver a congelar el escurrimiento, hace las condiciones resbaladizas el lunes por la mañana, según los meteorólogos de la NBC de Nueva York. Otra ráfaga de nieve o lluvia está prevista en Nueva York otra vez el martes, creando más hielo en las aceras y caminos.Entre la nieve más alta totales registrados fue en Unión, Connecticut, que recibió 9,5 pulgadas, meteorólogo Ryan Hanrahan dijo NBC Connecticut.Hanrahan dijo carreteras de Connecticut fueron especialmente hábil domingo por la mañana debido a la lluvia helada durante la noche, pero 632 camiones estatales se dedicaban a limpiar, según Connecticut del Departamento de transporte.Caminos podrían permanecer Galán durante el viaje de lunes por la mañana ya que la solución de agua salada dependen de equipos simplemente congelaría, según Kevin Nursick, portavoz en el punto del estado.Metro-North railroad, dijo en su página web puede reducir o suspender el servicio de Connecticut a Nueva York para evitar complicaciones de frenos congelados, interruptores y señales, dejando a viajeros con pocas opciones del lunes por la mañana.Mientras la mayoría de las áreas que se atropelle nevadas el sábado tiene un descanso el domingo y una oportunidad para descongelar, "un último golpe" fue debido en el norte de Nueva Inglaterra mientras el sistema se mueve hacia el este de Canadá por la tarde, según el servicio meteorológico nacional.6 A 12 pulgadas de más nieve se esperaba en partes de Massachusetts el domingo, seguido de aguanieve y lluvia helada después de amanecer, informó The Associated Press. 4 A 8 pulgadas eran posibles en Boston.Trece centímetros de nieve cayeron en la zona de esquí de Mount Sunapee en Newbury, N.H. el domingo por la mañana, llevando a una afluencia de esquiadores emocionados, según la AP.¿Cómo es el clima en su área? Muéstranos tus fotos de tormenta de nieve añadiendo #MySnowPics a tu tweet o Instagram post, o subir tus fotos directamente haciendo clic en el cuadro de abajo.Vea nuestra galería de imágenes enviadas por los lectores Pero las condiciones de deporte de invierno gran viajes males. Múltiples accidentes fueron registrados en carreteras en todo el medio oeste y noreste el sábado debido a la tercera ronda de clima invernal en un lapso de siete días, con un alambique de semana antes de la llegada oficial del invierno.Las autoridades advirtieron a los conductores en Massachusetts para viajar sólo si es necesario el domingo y dijeron que los conductores deben dejar suficiente espacio entre vehículos y muy por debajo del límite de velocidad, según The Weather Channel.La patrulla de caminos del estado de Missouri confirmado tres muertes atribuidas al clima invernal reciente. Lo dijo que una mujer de 79 años de edad del Condado de St. Louis murió en un accidente el viernes, en el cual un 28-year-old resultó también gravemente herido. Un hombre de 80 años de edad del Condado de Henry murió cuando su auto se deslizó en un árbol del sábado por la mañana, y un hombre de 44 años fue declarado muerto en la escena de un accidente causado por el tráfico incurrido por otro accidente en el Condado de Lawrence en la tarde del viernes.Matt Campbell / EPABob Agnew utiliza un soplador de nieve para despejar la nieve desde su entrada en Norfolk, Massachusetts el domingo, 15 de diciembre como rápida bajada de las temperaturas empieza a congelar la nieve húmeda.Policía estatal de Michigan estaban investigando un accidente fatal de relacionados con el clima, en el que el conductor perdió el control y golpeó la mediana en una carretera sábado temprano por la mañana, según el teniente Michael A. Shaw.Recién fue asesinado cuando dejó a su esposa en su vehículo para ayudar a una mujer cuyo auto se deslizó en la nieve y en una carretera en Indiana. El buen samaritano y la mujer estaba ayudando estaban de pie al lado de la carretera cuando tres coches chocó contra ellos en las condiciones heladas, matándolos a ambos, según NBC Chicago.Una ambulancia de Pennsylvania apenas evitó un desastre el viernes por la mañana, informó NBC Philadelphia, cuando un trozo de hielo golpeó y rompió su parabrisas.Transporte aéreo también se vio afectado como airlines cancelaron más de 1.000 vuelos el sábado, en su mayoría en el noreste y medio oeste, según FlightAware, un sitio web que rastrea las aerolíneas comerciales. Un adicional 2.653 vuelos fueron retrasados, dijo.Más de 360 vuelos habían sido cancelados dentro y fuera de Newark Liberty International Airport solo el sábado. Chicago o ' Hare International Airport canceló más de 180 vuelos.El domingo, cancelaciones de vuelos violado los 300 por la mañana, según FlightAware.Kathy Grannis, vocera de la Federación Nacional de minoristas, dijo a la Associated Press que muchos consumidores voluntad probable tienda de regalos de Navidad en línea más valientes las difíciles condiciones.Algunos compradores en Massachusetts seguían decididos a pesar de la advertencia de condiciones climáticas extremas. "Es la temporada tienes que salir y hacer tus compras. Shopper vacaciones Nathan Foss "es sólo unas pocas ráfagas así que no me molestó, dijo afiliado del NBC WHDH.La Associated Press contribuyeron con este reporte.Esta historia fue publicada originalmente en domingo, 15 de diciembre de 2013 6:01 PM EST

Big storm pelts Midwest and Northeast with 'wintry mix' of snow, ice

 A mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain is blanketing the northeast, from Missouri to Maine. The massive storm is stretching between 23 states. NBC's Kristen Dahlgren reports. A strong storm pelted the Midwest and Northeast with heavy snow on Saturday, with some areas already seeing a foot on the ground and forecasts predicting that up to 20 states and 70 million people will feel its polar conditions through the weekend.The National Weather Service forecast “a wintry mix of precipitation” including snow, sleet and freezing rain flowing from the Midwest into the Northeast this weekend.Parts of New England could see up to a foot by the time the front pulls out early Sunday and ushers in high winds that could be a hazard of their own. Up to 14 inches could fall in coastal towns in Maine. By late morning Saturday, the winter storm was producing snow over parts of Illinois, Indiana, Northern Ohio, with portions of West-Central Indiana already seeing 11 inches of snowfall, according to Weather Channel meteorologist Christopher Dolce.  Areas west of St. Louis were forecast to see 6 to 7 inches and the Chicago area was looking at 2 to 4 inches.“Eventually that snow is going to end by this evening and the snow will pick up in the Northeast as the afternoon goes on,” Dolce said.New York City had also seen an “initial burst” of snowfall with heavier levels predicted throughout the region into the afternoon and evening, Dolce said. On Saturday night that snow would change to sleet, followed by freezing rain, he said.The “quick-hitter” storm, Dolce said, would stretch as far as Maine by Sunday.Dolce said interstate travel could be affected, with interstate roads in Illinois, Indiana and parts of Missouri “snow packed.” How's the weather in your area? Show us your snowstorm photos by adding #MySnowPics to your tweet or Instagram post, or upload your pictures directly by clicking the box below.See our gallery of images submitted by readers “Until those are plowed away there’s going to be some rough travel,” he said.The Missouri State Highway Patrol has confirmed three fatalities attributed to the recent winter weather. The agency said a 79-year-old woman from St. Louis County died in a crash on Friday night and an 80-year-old man from Henry County died when his car slid into a tree Saturday morning. Details of the third incident were not immediately available. After dumping several inches of snow across the east, meteorologist Janet Huff explains what's next for this winter storm. Air travel was also affected as airlines canceled more than 1,000 flights on Saturday, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks commercial airlines. There were an additional 2,653 flight delays, it said.Over 360 flights had been canceled in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport alone on Saturday. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport canceled more than 180 flights.The Federal Aviation Administration announced that a Traffic Management Program was in effect in several airports due to snow and ice, causing delays. At New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, weather was causing some arrival flights to be delayed an average of one hour and four minutes, the FAA said, and arriving flights at Chicago’s O’Hare airport were delayed an average of 52 minutes.The storm could also impact commerce, Dolce, said with the snow stopping some holiday shoppers in their tracks.   Matt Nighswander / NBC NewsSnow falls on skaters Saturday morning in New York's Rockefeller Center.Kathy Grannis, a spokeswoman for the National Retail Federation, told the Associated Press that many consumers will likely shop online rather than brave the difficult conditions.Winter storm warnings were in effect Saturday for parts of Northern and Eastern New York, near Albany, Central and Eastern Pennsylvania, a considerable portion of both Connecticut and Massachusetts, as well as essentially all of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Winter storm advisories were in effect for pars of Michigan, Indiana, Cleveland and New York City.The snow is adding to already blustery conditions in much of the Northeast.A Pennsylvania ambulance narrowly avoided a disaster on Friday morning, NBC Philadelphia reported, when a chunk of ice struck and cracked its windshield.The Central Bucks Ambulance and Rescue Unit was transporting a patient northbound on York Road in Buckingham around 11:37 a.m. when a tree-trimming truck covered in snow passed the ambulance heading southbound, sending “substantial” chunks of ice flying towards the ambulance. Central Bucks Ambulance and RescueAn ambulance in Buckingham, Pa., was struck by a chunk of ice while transporting a patient. "It was scary," said Scott Henley, deputy chief paramedic who was driving the ambulance, told NBC Philadelphia. "Luckily I saw it coming and I was able to at least have a couple seconds to figure something out."The damage forced Henley to pull the unit over and wait for a second ambulance to arrive to continue the transport."Luckily the patient wasn't in any severe distress," he said.The accident came just days after the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission issued a reminder to drivers to clear snow and ice from their cars, NBC Philadelphia reported.Parts of Central Pennsylvania up through much of New York State upstate could see from 5 to 12 inches of snow.Northern and Western Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine could see anywhere from 8 to 12 inches of snow.Urban areas could see several inches of snow, according to the Weather Channel. Philadelphia was forecast to receive 1 to 3 inches; St. Louis, Indianapolis, and New York City were forecast to see 3 to 5 inches and Boston was in for 5 to 8 inches.Dolce said most states should see some relief from the wintry blast by the weekend’s end, with the remnants of system lingering in Maine through Sunday afternoon.The Associated Press contributed to this report.  Nam Y. Huh / APA woman carries her luggage on the sidewalk on Saturday in Evanston, Ill. This story was originally published on Sat Dec 14, 2013 11:22 PM EST

Sleet, freezing rain and blizzard warnings as winter storm pounds Northeast

 The deadly winter storm that dumped up to a foot of snow across the Northeast and Midwest is snarling roads and flight plans, the Weather Channel's Paul Goodloe reports. TODAY's Dylan Dreyer then forecasts how the weather will affect Monday's commute.By Alastair Jamieson and Daniella Silva, NBC NewsSnow, sleet and freezing rain  posed a hazard for motorists in New England Sunday as a strong storm that moved from the Midwest to the Northeast pelted the region with heavy snow, hampering travel plans for weekend shoppers and potentially for Monday commuters.Nearly a foot of snow was reported in parts of central Pennsylvania late Saturday as the sprawling storm moved eastward into New England, where the National Weather Service warned Maine could see near-blizzard conditions Sunday due to heavy snow and strong winds before the storm moves out.By Sunday afternoon, 17 inches of snow had accumulated on the southern coast of Maine, while northern Massachusetts got 11 inches and up to 8 inches fell in parts of Rhode Island, according to the National Weather Service. CJ Gunther / EPAA heavy snow falls on the tree covered mountains in Lake Placid, New York, Dec. 15, 2013. Five inches of snow fell in New York City’s Central Park Saturday while parts of Connecticut, New York and northern New Jersey got seven inches, the National Weather Service said.The New York City Department of sanitation said they had crews plowing all night Saturday into Sunday and urged residents to scrape and salt their sidewalks by late Sunday morning.Sun and temperatures in the 40s on Sunday would likely melt the buildup, but low temperatures overnight into Monday would refreeze the runoff, making for slick conditions Monday morning, according to NBC New York meteorologists. Another blast of snow or rain is predicted in New York again on Tuesday, creating more ice on the sidewalks and roads. Among the highest snow totals reported was in Union, Conn., which received 9.5 inches, meteorologist Ryan Hanrahan told NBC Connecticut.Hanrahan said roads in Connecticut were especially slick Sunday morning due to freezing rain overnight, but 632 state trucks were dedicated to clean-up, according to Connecticut’s Department of Transportation.Roads could remain slick during the Monday morning commute since the saltwater solution crews rely on would simply freeze, according to Kevin Nursick, spokesman at the state DOT.Metro-North railroad said on its website it may reduce or suspend service from Connecticut to New York to avoid complications from frozen brakes, switches and signals, leaving commuters with few options Monday morning.While most of the areas that got hit by heavy snowfalls on Saturday got a break on Sunday and a chance to thaw out, “one last punch” was due in northern New England as the system moves toward eastern Canada by evening, according to the National Weather Service.Six to 12 inches of further snow were expected in parts of Massachusetts Sunday, followed by sleet and freezing rain after daybreak, The Associated Press reported. Four to 8 inches were possible in Boston.Thirteen inches of snow fell in the Mount Sunapee ski area in Newbury, N.H. by Sunday morning, leading to an influx of excited skiers, according to the AP.How's the weather in your area? Show us your snowstorm photos by adding #MySnowPics to your tweet or Instagram post, or upload your pictures directly by clicking the box below.See our gallery of images submitted by readers But great winter sport conditions bring travel woes. Multiple accidents were reported on roadways throughout the Midwest and Northeast Saturday due to the third round of wintry weather in a seven-day span, with a week still to go before winter's official arrival.Authorities cautioned drivers in Massachusetts to travel only if necessary on Sunday and said those drivers should leave plenty of space between vehicles and drive well below the speed limit, according to The Weather Channel.The Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed three fatalities attributed to the recent winter weather. It said a 79-year-old woman from St. Louis County died in a crash on Friday night, in which a 28-year-old was also seriously injured. An 80-year-old man from Henry County died when his car slid into a tree Saturday morning, and a 44-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene of an accident caused by traffic incurred by another accident in Lawrence County on Friday afternoon. Matt Campbell / EPABob Agnew uses a snow-blower to clear snow from his driveway in Norfolk, Massachusetts on Sunday, Dec. 15 as rapidly falling temperatures begin to freeze the wet snow.Michigan State Police were investigating a fatal weather-related crash, in which the driver lost control and struck the median on a highway early Saturday morning, according to Lt. Michael A. Shaw.A newlywed was killed when he left his new wife in their vehicle to help a woman whose car slid in the snow and off a road in Indiana. The good Samaritan and the woman he was helping were standing on the side of the road when three cars crashed into them in the icy conditions, killing them both, according to NBC Chicago.A Pennsylvania ambulance narrowly avoided a disaster on Friday morning, NBC Philadelphia reported, when a chunk of ice struck and cracked its windshield.Air travel was also affected as airlines canceled more than 1,000 flights on Saturday, mostly in the Northeast and Midwest, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks commercial airlines. An additional 2,653 flights were delayed, it said.Over 360 flights had been canceled in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport alone on Saturday. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport canceled more than 180 flights.On Sunday, flight cancellations breached the 300s by the morning, according to FlightAware.Kathy Grannis, a spokeswoman for the National Retail Federation, told the Associated Press that many consumers will likely shop for holiday gifts online rather than brave the difficult conditions.Still, some shoppers in Massachusetts remained determined despite the warning of extreme weather. "It's the season so you gotta come out and do your shopping. It's only a few flurries so it didn't bother me," holiday shopper Nathan Foss told NBC affiliate WHDH.The Associated Press contributed to this report.This story was originally published on Sun Dec 15, 2013 6:01 PM EST

Ski lodges, encouraged by Northeast snow snowmobilers

Joel page / ReutersJason Gallant rackets to work after a snowstorm in Portland, Maine, on 15 December.By Dave Collins, The Associated PressHARTFORD, Conn.--a storm of the weekend that left a foot or more of snow in parts of the Northeast made operators in the area of ski and snow removal workers happy, but travelers were forced to deal with slippery roads and flight cancellations on Sunday.Molly Taaffe, 23, was on the slopes of mountain Loon in Lincoln, N.H., by 8 for its tenth day of skiing this season. He said was his best way out yet."There's nothing like dust," he said. "It's amazing. It is very busy, everyone is very excited. You don't have many days like this on the East Coast, so when you do everyone is excited."Heavy snow in the region varied from 2 to 8 inches in Connecticut and Rhode Island to almost 11 inches in Northern Massachusetts and almost a 17-inch on the South coast of the State of Maine, according to the national weather service."Us the term a sort of low-end of the Northeast," said Bill Simpson, a meteorologist for the weather service. "It's a fairly typical winter storm".Some Christmas shoppers saw the storm as an opportunity to avoid crowds on Sunday morning."It's slippery and isn't," said Bruce Long of Boston, who was shopping in Newton, Massachusetts, West of Boston "are warning people that if you have to leave, do it now because later it will be cold. Everything is going to turn into ice and will be a disaster."Accidents were recorded in the region, including a crash in central Pennsylvania that killed two people on Saturday afternoon. Police say the Altoona Mirror a van traveling too fast for conditions when he lost control and slid into the path of a pickup truck that approaching. The two people in the van were killed, and the driver of the truck was seriously injured.Airports were working to return to normal after hundreds of cancellations of flights. Many flights Sunday morning at the Logan International Airport in Boston and other airports in the region were canceled, but later flights were listed as on time."No line, and flow of passengers at terminals was light to moderate," said Miraj Berry, a spokesman for the Massachusetts port authority, which extends to Logan. "We are open, but it is very important that passengers with their airlines control before arriving at the airport."Flights in the area of the city of New York, which received significant snowfall totals, were taking off on schedule on Sunday.Central Park of New York Zoo recorded 6 inches of snow on Saturday, while Westchester County suburbs of New York scored 7.5 inches. The snow turned to rain in the metropolitan area of the night and left a layer of ice, resulting in roads and sidewalks slippery.In Connecticut, Angel DeJesus and John Rosario began to clear snow in apartment complexes in the extreme south of Hartford in envelope 5 Sunday. Freezing rain fell early in the morning, hampering the use of snow blowers, said DeJesus, a manager of management Carabetta."We love the snow," said DeJesus. "Hours extra for us." And we like to take care of our tenants.Others were not so happy about having to clean. Evan Weststrate, an engineer who lives in Newton, Massachusetts, had been shoveling his property for about 90 minutes on Sunday morning and had not finished."It's getting heavier as it is cold", he said about the weight of the snow. "The ice slush is becoming and is getting heavy."Skiers and snowboarders throughout New England also rejoiced in the cold weather, snow and a chance to get out on the slopes.Ski area Mount Sunapee in Newbury, N.H., a fresco by 13 inches of snow and a great skier on Sunday morning turnout, said marketing director Bruce McCloy."Cars are pouring in the parking lot as I look out the window," he said. "People are excited."Utility companies registered only scattered power outages in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island and about a hundred total in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.Related:Snow, sleet and commuter chaos as Northeast winter storm pounds© 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material does not may be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Winter storm system could hamper Thanksgiving travel from Plains to Northeast

aRain, snow and powerful winds are pummeling the West, and that weather system is now heading East just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday. NBC's Miguel Almaguer reports. Forecasters are warning Thanksgiving travelers to beware, as a sweeping winter storm system could bring icy roads, flight delays and more headaches to the holiday next week.“We’ve been lucky the last few years, but unfortunately this is a rather poorly timed storm,” said Jonathan Erdman, senior meteorologist at the Weather Channel.Erdman said the Northeast would likely see “massive flight delays” on Wednesday in all major airports, because of rain, snow and low-lying clouds that wreak havoc with flight plans. More than 2.4 million people are expected to have flights scheduled the day before Thanksgiving, according to Airlines for America, an airline industry group. The storm is “about as expansive a winter storm as it get,” according to Erdman, with its effects being felt from California to Maine.The system has already brought freezing rain, sleet and heavy snow in parts of the southern Plains and desert Southwest. One to 2 feet of snow can be expected to blanket the mountains of southwest Colorado, northern New Mexico, parts of northern Arizona, and southern Utah, according to The Weather Channel.  Freezing rain and snow will continue across the Plains States late Saturday and Sunday, possibly persisting into Monday. This NOAA satellite image taken Friday shows a cold front moving through the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, the Lower Mississippi Valley, and the Southern Plains.  Another wave of the storm will push out into New Mexico and possibly the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area on Saturday, creating difficult weekend travel conditions in the area.The storm system then sets itself on track for the Northeast, with some initial rain and low clouds moving up past Washington D.C., by late Tuesday. Erdman said specific details as to how much snow the storm will bring were still unclear, and while it would not be a crippling snowstorm for holiday travel, it would make air and road trips more difficult.The storm will for the most part be gone come Thanksgiving Day in most areas, but an impending cold front should still leave snow on the roads.   “If you’re headed to grandma’s house Thanksgiving morning, it’s still going to a dicey drive in the Northeast in general,” Erdman said. He added that scheduling early travel for this weekend, before the storm hits, would be best for travelers.  “Probably the last chance to avoid any significant travel delays would be Tuesday morning in the Northeast, even Monday and early Tuesday,” he said. “You’ll save a lot of grief.”There's a wintry element to the weather threat that will blanket the East next week, but the forecast will clear on Thanksgiving day. Weather Channel meteorologist Chris Warren reports.