Father Winter Targets Northeast With a Vengeance, Bringing Heavy Snow, ‘Dangerous or Impossible’ Road Conditions, and 50% Cancellation Rates at Airports

After a week or more of spring-like temperatures in parts of the Northeast, Father Winter returned with a vengeance. Some 46 million people are under winter storm watches and warnings, as a powerful nor’easter pummels the Northeast from eastern Pennsylvania to Massachusetts and brings airports to a virtual standstill.
“A Nor’easter will bring strong winds and heavy snowfall from the central Appalachians through southern New England today which could damage trees, power lines, and disrupt travel,” the National Weather Service said in a statement early Monday morning, adding that “coastal flooding is expected along portions of the East Coast.”
Officials in the region are urging millions of people to avoid traveling in a storm causing, in some areas, near whiteout conditions and extremely poor visibility. The high rate of snow and high wind gusts that are forecast could lead to “driving conditions” through Tuesday, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement.
Putting wipers up before a storm prevents damage to the wiper motor should the blades become frozen to the windshield. It also makes clearing snow and ice from the windscreen far easier.
The storm will see New York City getting its first biggest snowstorm in over two years as snow continues to fall at rates of 1” to 2” (25 mm to 51 mm) per hour, according to the National Weather Service in New York.  Up to 12” (304 mm) of the white stuff is forecast for parts of the Mid-Hudson Region, which encompasses seven counties, namely Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester.
As of 11:45 a.m. EST, there have been 1,226 flight cancellations within, into, and out of the United States, as well as an additional 1,246 flight delays, according to FlightAware, which tracks such information.
Aerodromes in the Northeast are reporting high cancellation rates. LaGuardia Airport in New York City reported that 43% of all outbound flights have been cancelled. That figure is 20% at nearby John F. Kennedy International Airport, 27% at Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey, 28% at Boston Logan International Airport, and 6% at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in the nation’s capital.
Some airlines  including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, and Southwest Airlines – are issuing waivers to customers due to the storm, allowing them to cancel their travel plans or move their flights to a later date.
Father Winter, also known as Old Man Winter and Father Frost, is one of the four seasonal gods, is someone you don’t want to anger. On the “Jack Frost” television special that was broadcast on NBC in 1979, he appeared as a big cloud who talked to Jack Frost about his problems.  He was voiced by Paul Frees, who is best known for having voiced Toucan Sam in Fruit Loops commercials and Boris Badenov in “Rocky and Bullwinkle.”
(Photos: Accura Media Group)