Strong Winter Storm Pushes into US Northeast

The post-New Year's snow has many frolicking -- and skidding in -- the white stuff

By Associated Press
Thursday, Jan. 2, 2103


Christina Kistler walks her dog Sheldon in snow on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in Albany, N.Y. Snow and bone-chilling temperatures are greeting morning commuters across New York on the first work day of 2014, with some upstate areas expected to get more than a foot of snow by the weekend. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

BOSTON (AP) - A storm expected to bring heavy snow, stiff winds and punishing cold pushed into the U.S. Northeast on Thursday, extending Christmas break for some students while posing the first test for New York's new mayor and perhaps the last challenge for Boston's outgoing one.

Some schools in New England and New York closed well ahead of the snow, while cities mobilized plows and salt spreaders, and state offices sent workers home early. Some major highways were ordered shut down overnight. U.S. airlines canceled more than 2,300 flights nationwide on Thursday in advance of the storm.

The heavy weather began rolling in just a day after New York Mayor Bill de Blasio was sworn in to lead the nation's largest city and a few days before Boston Mayor Thomas Menino ends 20 years in office.

Menino announced a parking ban and said schools would be closed Friday in Boston, where up to 14 inches (36 centimeters) of snow was expected. Boston's airport said it would not handle any flights after 8:30 p.m. Thursday.

"What a New Year's gift, to receive one last snowstorm as mayor," said Menino, whose successor takes office Monday.

De Blasio, who as public advocate in 2010 criticized his predecessor Mayor Michael Bloomberg for his handling of a post-Christmas storm, said hundreds of plows and salt spreaders would be on the streets as soon as the snow started falling Thursday night.

"We have to get it right, no question about it," de Blasio said. "We are focused like a laser on protecting this city and getting everyone ready. We have all hands on deck."

Snow began falling overnight Wednesday in parts of New England and New York state, but the brunt of the storm wasn't expected until late Thursday. Forecasters said temperatures would plummet to well below freezing.

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for Cape Cod, coastal areas north and south of Boston and part of Maine as well as New York's Long Island, where up to 10 inches of snow could fall and winds could gust to 45 mph.

Interior southern New England and New York state could get up to a foot of snow. New York City was expecting 8 inches (20 centimeters), while Philadelphia could see up to 7 inches (18 centimeters).

As the storm pushed eastward on New Year's Day and Thursday, it dropped as much as 18 inches (46 centimeters) on suburban Chicago and up to 10 inches on Michigan, prompting the cancellation Wednesday of hundreds of flights in and out of Chicago's O'Hare Airport. Below-zero cold is expected across the region over the next few days.

PHOTOS: New Year's Storm Bears Down on Northeast


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