Heavy Snow Hits Northeast as Storm Cleanup Begins in South

Winter-tired Northeast and Midwest are still recovering from Saturday’s heavy snowfall. On Saturday, South and Midwest storms caused extensive damage that resulted in multiple deaths and created ferocious winds.

New York State, Vermont and New Hampshire received snowfalls exceedingly high before the winter storm. Police said that driving conditions became dangerous as many cars, trucks and tractor-trailers were swept off the roads.

Many flights were cancelled, hundreds of businesses were shut down and buses were suspended. Meteorologist Jon Palmer from the National Weather Service Maine said that wet snow was met by gusts of 40 to 50 mph. These winds raised concern about falling trees and potential power outages.

Far northern Maine was spared by the severe storm that swept through the region, causing the 30th Can-Am Crown to be cancelled. It is considered the most important dog sled race east, and the 30th Can-Am Crown has been missed completely. Before Saturday’s start, there was three- to four feet of snow already on the ground.

Residents in the Upper Midwest reacted to Saturday’s snowfall, which caused power outages across large parts of the region. The storm also forced Detroit’s Metropolitan Wayne County Airport into temporary closure late Friday. For Saturday flight delays, passengers were advised by airlines to contact them.

While helping troopers in traffic backups due to weather-related incidents, an Indiana state trooper was hit by a vehicle. He died Friday afternoon.

According to state police, Master Trooper James R. Bailey was 50 when he deployed stop sticks along Interstate 69 at Auburn in an attempt to slow down a car that fled Fort Wayne police. Bailey died later in a hospital. Bailey had been with the state police for more than fifteen years. Marion, Indiana man aged 42 was taken into custody and charged with resisting the law enforcement leading to death.

A snowplow backing the Michigan State Police struck an elderly man in Michigan and killed him.