Several snow storm warnings and alerts were issued throughout the Northeast, due to the intensity with which this phenomenon has been recorded. A short-term forecast issued since Tuesday, by the US National Weather Service (NWS, for its acronym in English), indicated that a winter storm would be causing harmful effects in the north and northeast of the country throughout this week.
Currently, approximately just over 50 million Americans are sheltered from snow, because this great storm that moved from the Rocky Mountains, is located now over much of the east.
Among the most influenced states are Virginia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Washington DC, and Philadelphia, where sleet and freezing rain are the main effects. For the states of Pennsylvania and New York, the accumulation of snow exceeds in many cases 1 foot in height (30.4 cm), even in the surroundings it has already reached 3 feet in height (91.4 cm).
Human losses related to the effects of the snowstorm
According to the New York Post (NYPD), about 10,000 residents in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut were without power this morning. Among the human losses reported are those generated by car accidents, the first happened on Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania’s Clinton County that involved dozens of vehicles killed two people.
EVENING UPDATE: This visible/#GLM composite loop from @NOAA‘s #GOES16️ has been tracking the clouds and #lightning associated with the strong #noreaster traveling up the Eastern Seaboard today. #WinterStorm Warnings continue to stretch from the Appalachians to New England. pic.twitter.com/OSO3TRLF6g
— NOAA Satellites – Public Affairs (@NOAASatellitePA) December 16, 2020
Another vehicle accident was reported in Snyder County where a driver who apparently lost control of his car under sleet conditions, according to the police report. As the storm hit Wednesday night, Virginia State Police responded to the call for 200 crashes, one of these in Pulaski County killed a 19-year-old.
#MeteoredMX
As with tropical cyclones, in Europe and the United States, winter storms have names.Our meteorologist Juan Antonio Palma (@ClimaYucatan) explains:https://t.co/TG4aIy7IHr
— Meteored.mx (@meteoredmx) October 29, 2020
Main recommendations
The freezing rain (freezing rain or freezing rain) and sleet, is the main concern given its dangerousness by making roads and paths more slippery. Likewise, the condition of blizzard related to strong winds It is the cause of the decrease in visibility of drivers of any type of transport.
For this reason, at Meteored we encourage and recommend to the population stay off roads during snowstorms. We also invite people to remain in confinement since the winter season favors the increase in Covid-19 cases. According to health experts, the number of infections has recently skyrocketed during the beginning of this cold season.
WATCH: Don’t let this be you.
Unless it’s absolutely necessary, stay off the roads! More videos from #Gail on The Weather Channel. pic.twitter.com/VgFUY8367d
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) December 16, 2020
Delivery of vaccines to combat the Covid-19 pandemic amid the storm
With this extensive snowstorm, even the trips destined for the delivery of the Coronavirus vaccine are influenced, as the time for the delivery of the same is being postponed. Let us remember that the eastern region of the North American country is one of the hardest hit by the loss of human life and infections generated by the current pandemic.
– .
