Tens of thousands are without power and at least seven are dead as a tremendous winter storm buries New England under a layer of snow. The storm, which began off the West Coast and rumbled over the US throughout the holiday weekend, slammed into the East Coast to cause serious havoc.
Over 250 flights have been canceled across the Northeast due to storm activity. This has, unsurprisingly, caused a major headache for people trying to travel home after visiting family for Thanksgiving. Thousands are missing work and school due to the canceled or delayed flights. Airports full of weary travelers are a common sight across the region today.
Meanwhile, interstate roads in New England have almost all been affected in one way or another. Some roads are completely closed due to the snow and ice accumulation, while others are blocked by downed trees and tree limbs. Others still have had their speed limits reduced to 40 or 45 MPH to account for the ice on the roads.
This situation has seriously snarled traffic across the region, leading to massive traffic jams, bumper-to-bumper traffic, and downright dangerous road conditions. Hundreds of traffic accidents have been reported from all over the Northeast as travelers try to return home.
The massive winter storm has resulted in at least seven deaths across its path since last week. An interstate accident in Utah on Wednesday resulted in one death. One person in South Dakota died Friday morning when their car rolled over into a ditch.
Another two deaths on Friday occurred when a vehicle was swept away while trying to cross a creek that was raging with water due to snow runoff. The vehicle, which was swept away in Arizona, was found later with two of the three children passengers dead from drowning. The third child was not with the car, and their whereabouts are unknown. They are presumed dead.
The others’ deaths, likewise, all occurred due to vehicle accidents involving the dangerous road conditions. Travelers are encouraged to drive carefully or otherwise to stay in and wait for the conditions to clear before attempting to leave home.
