Snowstorm brings dangerous travel conditions

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By MARK SCOLFORO

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A winter storm blanketed a wide swath of the Northeast with a picturesque white layer on Saturday and gave ski resorts a boost, but caused dangerous travel conditions and complicated shopping plans less than two weeks before Christmas.

Multiple accidents were reported on roadways throughout the Midwest and Northeast, while airports reported hundreds of cancellations.

Airlines canceled nearly 1,200 flights because of the storm, including almost 375 flights into and out of Newark, N.J., and 189 at Chicago's O'Hare airport.

"It's a pretty bad day for Newark," said Mark Duell, a spokesman for FlightAware, a website that tracks commercial airlines. More than 40 percent of Newark's 900 flights were cut, he said.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20131215/DAAMFQ782.html

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A jogger runs on a snowy sidewalk in Evanston, Ill. on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2013. Snow continued to fall over the Chicago area into northwest Indiana. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

[starroute]

1. And we're now getting freezing rain on top of the picturesque white stuff

I don't know what we'll wake up to in the morning -- but I very much hope our streets won't all be skating rinks.

[chillfactor]

2. hate to tell you....

but streets and sidewalks of sheer ice going to be in your future....

[starroute]

4. Freezing rain on top of snow is better than on bare roads

Last edited Sun Dec 15, 2013, 01:10 AM - Edit history (1)

If there's a couple of inches of snow under it, it forms a crust rather than a glaze, meaning it can be broken up and shoveled away. That's what I'm hoping for.

[NutmegYankee]

5. That's exactly why I didn't clear the driveway earlier today.

I just hope it isn't too much freezing rain. I already have about 5 inches additional down, adding to the snow/ice cover on the grass from Tues.

[onehandle]

3. Plows have been criss-crossing around our house in the Philly 'burbs most of the evening. nt

[NutmegYankee]

6. How much has fallen?

[onehandle]

8. Three inches of snow, now freezing rain.

Just walked a reluctant dog. Frozen crunchy crust on top of the snow.

[Festivito]

7. Detroit has very slippery road surfaces under 6-10 inches of powder snow.

Winds have died. They cause drifting. Just a bit of drifting tonight.

The automatic breaking system kicks in during most stops that are not extremely slow.
Startups are slow with spinning wheels every time. (I do not have traction control on my car.)

I always suggest that drivers find an empty parking lot and dance around a while before hitting the streets hard.

Best to relearn that control without cars on either side.

[Ruby the Liberal]

9. It is awful out there right now

The freezing rain started last night, but fortunately with several inches of snow under it. The plows have come through 3 times already.

I am ready for March. Seriously.