Another winter blast of snow and strong winds moved into the Northeast on Sunday to the delight of some and the consternation of others, just days after the biggest storm of the season dumped up to 19 inches of snow in the region.
Winter storm warnings were in effect into Monday from upstate New York to Maine, where blizzard conditions and 2 feet of snow are possible. Other snowfall forecasts ranged from up to 20 inches in Portsmouth, N.H., to up to 11 inches in Boston to up to 7 inches in Hartford, Conn., and Providence, R.I.
Wind gusts of more than 50 mph, coastal flooding and power outages could hit parts of the region. A blizzard watch was in effect on Cape Cod, with a storm surge of 1 to 3 feet possible, according to the National Weather Service.
“It is a dangerous storm because of high winds, low visibility and heavy snow,” said Lenore Correia, a weather service meteorologist in Taunton, Mass. “It’s a big snowstorm, but nothing we haven’t seen before either.”
Roads were slick. Schools across the region announced they would be closed Monday. Nearly 1,300 flights in the U.S. were canceled and another 5,600 were delayed, according to the flight tracking service FlightAware.
It was a stark contrast to record warmth elsewhere. In southwest Oklahoma, the temperature reached 99 degrees Saturday to tie a record for the highest February temperature set in 1918.
In Bedford, Mass., a small plane with five people aboard aborted takeoff and slid off a runway Sunday at Hanscom Field about 20 miles northwest of Boston. The plane was headed to Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. No one was injured. It wasn’t immediately clear if the weather played a role.
While many people were still weary from cleaning up from Thursday’s storm, others relished more powder.
Tina Fuller of Waltham, Mass., decided to walk about 15 minutes to her local grocery store Sunday to get some sauce and cheese to make lasagna.
“I could have drove, but you know what? I wanted to enjoy the snow,” the 60-year-old nurse’s aide said. “It’s very quiet. Sometimes the snow brings that peace. It’s almost like God told everybody to take a rest. With all the things happening in the world, why not enjoy these days?”
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh asked people to be careful driving into the city and shoveling the wet, heavy snow. He also urged people to clear off fire hydrants and help neighbors.