Winter storm causes power outages in northeastern United States

PITTSFIELD, Massachusetts, EE.UU. (AP) — A tormenta winter con nieve humida y pesada en partes del noreste de Estados Unidos provoked el martes decenas de miles de apagones, cancellation de clases scolares, peligrosas condiciones par los conductores y el despiste de un avion.

The storm covered parts of New England, upstate New York, northeastern Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey. Snow totals once they dissipate on Wednesday are expected to range from a few centimeters to over two feet, depending on the region.

About 2 feet (60 centimeters) of snow fell in northern New York and the Catskill Mountains, and Governor Kathy Hochul said some areas could receive an additional 1 foot (30 centimeters) by Wednesday morning. In New Hampshire, state police asked drivers to avoid driving on Tuesday afternoon due to poor visibility due to falling snow. State police reported witnessing more than 120 crashes.

In Derry, New Hampshire, firefighters and police used power saws, shovels and their bare hands to rescue a girl trapped under a fallen tree. Authorities said the girl was playing outside with one of her parents, who was shoveling snow when the tree fell on her. The girl was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

All northbound lanes of Interstate 95 on the Piscataqua River Bridge between Maine and New Hampshire were closed after two trailers were stuck on the bridge due to ice.

In the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts, heavy snow and sleet complicated road conditions, toppled tree branches and caused several skids. Further east in Fitchburg, Mass., where up to 18 inches of snow was reported, Jean Guerrer said conditions were too dangerous for her to drive her taxi into the Boston area for work.

The storm came as California faced warnings of additional flooding, potentially dangerous winds and extreme conditions on mountain roads as a new atmospheric river entered the state on Tuesday morning. So far this winter, California has been hit by 10 previous atmospheric rivers, long plumes of moisture from the Pacific Ocean and powerful storms driven by arctic air, producing blizzard conditions.

A Delta Air Lines plane skidded off the runway as it prepared to take off from an airport in Syracuse, New York, on Tuesday morning. Flight 1718 bound for New York’s LaGuardia Airport slid on the grass north of the runway, forcing passengers to disembark and board trucks to return to the terminal, airport officials say. No one was injured and the terminal continued to operate.

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McCormack reported from Concord, New Hampshire. Associated Press writers Holly Ramer, in Concord, New Hampshire; Maysoon Kahn, in Albany, New York; Carolyn Thompson, in Buffalo, New York; and Bobby Caina Calvan, New York, contributed to this report.