East coast winter storm: travel chaos as thousands of flights cancelled

19:46


Powered by Guardian.co.ukThis article titled “East coast winter storm: travel chaos as thousands of flights cancelled” was written by Jessica Glenza, Ellen Brait and Mahita Gajanan in New York, for theguardian.com on Saturday 23rd January 2016 00.01 UTC




Summary



We’re going to end our live coverage of the snowstorm for the day, and will pick up as the blizzard continues in earnest (at least as the forecasters predict) on Saturday morning. Here’s a quick summary of what’s happening around the eastern US:


  • Washington DC, in the bullseye of the storm, shut down on Friday as officials closed public transport, lawmakers fled the city and residents pillaged grocery stores for supplies in the coming weekend. Meteorologists predicted a storm to rival 90-year-old records, with as much as 30in of snow and gusts of up to 50mph.

  • Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a state of emergency, as did the governors of Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia. The latter’s governor, Terry McAuliffe, activated the national guard and poured hundreds of tons of salt and brine onto roadways to prepare for the storm.

  • Airports up and down the east coast canceled thousands of flights, and in some cases shut down. More than 6,000 flights in all were canceled, and officials urged people to stay off the roads. In North Carolina, police reported 928 car crashes and 1,400 calls for help in 13 hours alone.

  • New Yorkers braced for the storm, and mayor Bill de Blasio urged them to stay indoors and let 2,400 snow plows do their work on Saturday. Forecasters predicted 12-20in of snow for the city. Philadelphia declared a city-wide “snow emergency”, and officials warned of falling trees weighted with snow.

  • Over its first 36 hours the growing storm claimed seven lives, according to officials in North Carolina, Maryland, Tennessee and Kentucky. Most of the victims died in traffic-related accidents.

  • Officials warned coastal cities and towns that they should anticipate flooding, and that forecasting models showed unusually good chances for major snowfall around the mid-Atlantic states.






Queues around the block in Brooklyn on Friday – before the storm hits the city.



queuing round the block the enter a supermarket


queuing round the block the enter a supermarket



people are queuing up in freezing temperatures to get into a supermarket in brooklyn to buy groceries








Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe just told CNN that his state has the national guard out and ready to cope with the blizzard: “I’m very comfortable in Virginia that we’re gonna handle this big storm.”


McAullife has apparently spared no expense, getting 650,000 tons of salt, 2m gallons of liquid salt brine out for the storm, pretreating the roads and bringing in 60 teams from around the country to help.


A point of concern, he said, will be power outages, especially in the forested parts of northern Virginia. More than anything, though, McAuliffe exhorted Virginians to stay off the roads.


“We have the equipment, but if you leave your car or abandon your car in the middle of the road” it’s going to make it harder for emergency and snow crews to do their jobs.


He added that national guardsmen were already at work “getting people out of their homes getting people medical attention that they need” where necessary.







Night descends on DC.


Madison Riley, left, and Katie Lantuh walk down the middle of Pennsylvania Avenue.
Madison Riley, left, and Katie Lantuh walk down the middle of Pennsylvania Avenue. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP
The White House during the snowstorm.
The White House during the snowstorm. Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
A snowplow cleans up snow on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the Capitol.
A snowplow cleans up snow on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the Capitol. Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images





Life in Washington has not ground to a complete halt: the Obamas’ dog Bo has been spotted out and about and he’s “barking loudly”, according to Mark Knoller, CBS White House correspondent.



White House photographer Pete Souza found the other Obama.








According to the Strand book store, New York will fall in the “3 book zone” during this weekend blizzard.



We’ve compiled a list of books to help you through this particularly cold time. Mix and match as you please.


  • The Girl on the Train (by Paula Hawkins) – a psychological thriller that’s bound to make you a tad paranoid, but keep you entertained for hours.

  • Pride and Prejudice (by Jane Austen) – romance and miscommunication. What more could you want?

  • Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (by J.K. Rowling) – with the film hitting theatres soon, it’s an easy way to prepare for a weekend when you won’t be confined to your home.

  • The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering (by Marie Kondo) – there’s no better time to commune with your socks and get rid of things that don’t spark joy than during a snow storm.

  • My Brilliant Friend (by Elena Ferrante) – the first of the Neapolitan Novels that everyone’s been raving about.

  • Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage (by Alfred Lansing) – because if you think you’re cold now, reading about what polar explorer Ernest Shackleton went through on the icy Antarctic seas will definitely put things into perspective.






The blizzard from space, courtesy Nasa.








The storm brought tornadoes and snow to Mississippi, according to the National Weather Service. On Thursday, at least two tornadoes ripped through Lamar and Simpson counties. No injuries were reported, although the tornadoes damaged homes, uprooted trees and down power lines.


Portions of northern Mississippi had received up to 2 inches of snow by Friday. Meteorologist Brad Bryant said it’s rare for a weather system to hit one state with both tornadoes and snow. The snow caused road accidents and shut down schools and businesses.








Are you affected by the storm? Share your photos of the snow, ice or flooding via GuardianWitness and we’ll feature some of your contributions in our reporting. Please think about your safety while recording and sharing photos.







After days of planning by emergency officials and a scramble by residents to stock up on supplies, the blizzard started blanketing the Washington area at about 1pm local time.







As people stock up on non-perishable foods and load up their Netflix queues, others are in search of physical company to keep warm and occupied over the snowy weekend. New Yorkers have flocked to Craigslist personal ads in search of blizzard buddies.


One Queens-based poster put it quite simply: “Going out will be a challenge so let’s keep each other company.”


On Tinder, some cut to the point by updating their bios to reflect the weather.



Dating app usage spikes significantly during inclement weather. Last year, during the winter storm Juno, the popular dating app Hinge saw user activity spike 47% on the day of the storm, Business Insider reported. Leading up to the storm, user activity spiked 27%.







While confined to the indoors, some sports fans won’t be able to turn on their team’s game this weekend as a distraction. Two NBA games, one NHL game, and NASCAR’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony have been postponed.


The NBA announced that the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers game originally scheduled for Saturday night has been pushed back until Sunday at 7pm. A game between the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards has also been postponed.


Meanwhile, the NHL said that the Friday night hockey game between the Anaheim Ducks and Washington Capitals has been postponed. A decision regarding the game scheduled for Sunday night between the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins will be announced Saturday morning.


The US Senate meanwhile looks back on an era of less organized athletics …








The North Carolina State Highway Patrol reported 928 car crashes and 1,400 calls for help between midnight and 1pm today.



By Friday morning, nearly 6,000 homes across North Carolina were without power. Several weather-related accidents have been reported, and bad road conditions caused four motor vehicle fatalities, according to the Governor’s office.


North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory declared a state of emergency late on Wednesday as forecasts called for high volumes of snow and ice accumulation.


The Governor’s office also warned the public to “be prepared for 30 MPH winds that have the potential to bring down trees and power lines”.







If you’re worried about being cooped up all weekend, the Guardian’s Amber Jamieson (@ambiej) has the cure, with a list of the most blizzard-appropriate movies for what is expected to be a very snowy weekend.


Why not chuck some butter on your popcorn and indulge shamelessly in a bunch of snow-themed winter films? Each film title is linked to a streaming service so you can just hit play straight away.


  • Snow Dogs (2002) – Cuba Gooding Jr and a pack of adorable huskies, what more could you want?

  • The Day after Tomorrow (2004) – a friendly reminder of the dangers of climate change.

  • The Thing (1982) – pray there’s no aliens buried in this snowstorm.

  • The Shining (1980) – scare yourself with Kubrick’s classic.

  • Snowpiercer (2013) – Tilda Swinton at her Ice Queen best.

  • Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) – an east coast winter classic.

  • Two Night Stand (2014) – a New York blizzard arrives during a one night stand.

  • Fargo (1996) – ignore the new series and go back to the original movie? Yah, you betcha.


Read Amber’s full piece here.



Updated






And in Washington, The Guardian’s David Smith (@SmithInAmerica) is hunting for the last loaf of bread.


In Trader Joe’s, The Guardian’s David Smith hunts for the last loaf of bread.
In Trader Joe’s, The Guardian’s David Smith hunts for the last loaf of bread. Photograph: David Smith for the Guardian

It’s a snowy Friday in Washington and, just for once, politics is the second talking point, after the weather. Panic buying is under way and a queue of around 80 people encircled the entire Trader Joe’s supermarket in Foggy Bottom, Washington, where shelves that should contain bread and water are virtually bare (plenty of sparkling water for those so inclined). Breakfast burritos, milk, pies and tomato basil marinara sauce are also selling fast.


The line is moved at a fair clip and shoppers appeared patient, noting that the store is often busy, especially at weekends. Ashby Semple, 50, a vegan, was pushed a trolley of meatless breakfast patties, tomato soup and vegan tikka masala.


“Everything was available and it’s probably more than I need, but I’ll eat it eventually,” Semple said.


“It’s very American to stock up like this. I’ve been here when it’s snowed before. I don’t freak out that much. It’s hilarious. I don’t think this is going to be another Snowmageddon,” she said.


There was uncertainty over whether Trader Joe’s would be open tomorrow. Katherine Lee, an 18-year-old student from Hong Kong, stocked up on fruit and vegetables and welcomed the forecast. “I hope it snows,” she said. “I want to be snowed in so there will be no school. Are we supposed to be scared? If you stay indoors it should be fine.”


Ian Wong, 22, from Hawaii, was coordinated shopping with his girlfriend and looked forward to snow on a scale he has never witnessed before. “The most snow I’ve seen is eight inches. This will be the most snow I’ll have seen in my life. I’m excited.”


And Jim Jones, 63, carrying chicken and eggs, played down the drama. “I’m not worried. I’ve been through bigger storms than this. Anyway, it’ll be an adventure and we’ve got two football games to watch on TV on Sunday.”







For a live look at what’s happening in Washington DC, you can watch snow fall from Speaker Paul Ryan’s balcony. The live-feed is also set to some jazzy tunes, which we hope Speaker Ryan chose himself.



Watch snowfall from House Speaker Paul Ryan’s balcony in Washington DC.

If that view doesn’t satisfy, here’s a look at the National Mall right now.






Snow starts falling in the capitol



As the storm moves northeast, it’s beginning to snow in Washington DC, where some of the worst weather is expected.



In preparation for the storm, the federal government shut down almost three hours ago, and the mayor declared a state of emergency.


Right now, the capitol is forecast to receive up to 31 in of snow. That would break a record set in 1922, when 28 in of snow fell from January 27-29. The worst of the storm is expected between tonight and Saturday evening, when wind gusts could reach 47 miles per hour, and bursts of thunder are possible.






Storms wreaks travel havoc as it moves across the south



In addition to several inches of the white stuff, the storm also seems to have left numerous and widespread travel woes.


In Nashville alone, the Tennessean reported that city police have responded to more than 200 vehicle crashes involving 12 injuries have already been caused by the winter storm.


The mayor of Nashville, Megan Barry, told the Tennessean that residents shouldn’t look for overnight solutions to the havoc.


I’m asking Nashvillians to stay home and stay safe,” Barry said. “Realize this might take the whole weekend. Don’t just wake up tomorrow and think it won’t be slick out because it will.”



Airlines have also continued to cancel flights. According to FlightAware, more than 1,500 flights have been delayed, and 6,300 more that were scheduled for around the United States between Friday and Sunday have been canceled.


American Airlines have canceled 25% of all of its Friday flights, according to the site, and Raleigh-Durham has canceled almost two-thirds of its Friday flights.







The storm has already blanketed Nashville in snow.


Other cities are still expecting more snowfall in the coming days. At least the local kids seem to hope so.


Predictably, with the approaching storm, people have rushed to their local supermarkets and bought supplies for the coming weekend. Food Lion in Northern Virginia is no exception.


In Kentucky, this United States Postal Service courier is still trucking along. After all, according to the unofficial USPS creed, weather never impedes a postman.




Updated






Edward Snowden, the computer analyst whistleblower, chimed in on Twitter with his own thoughts on the impending storm.



When some of his followers voiced disapproval, he responded “Don’t hate”. One user tweeted “For this, maybe he should be arrested”.







Chris Christie leaves snowy New Hampshire for a blizzard in New Jersey



Chris Christie will be back in Newark, New Jersey by 8pm for a snow briefing and press conference with transportation officials. The governor and candidate for the Republican presidential nomination announced he would return to the Garden State just before 2pm Friday, after several local news outlets published skeptical stories about his ability to manage flooding and more than 1 ft of snow from the campaign trail in New Hampshire.


Christie may also be haunted by a not too distant history: in 2010 he was criticized for being out of town during a snowstorm. At the time, he was vacationing with his family in Florida at Disneyland.


He told reporters at the time: “I was in charge from Florida.”


Chris Christie leaves a snowy campaign stop in New Hampshire to greet snow in New Jersey, Friday afternoon.
Chris Christie leaves a snowy campaign stop in New Hampshire to greet snow in New Jersey, Friday afternoon. Photograph: Jim Cole/AP





Republican presidential candidate and New Jersey governor Chris Christie said via Twitter on Friday he is leaving the campaign trail in New Hampshire to help his home state get through the storm.





Earlier on Friday New York mayor Bill de Blasio criticized Christie for staying in New Hampshire instead of dealing with the impending blizzard.


“A day or two ago it might have been a question mark, right now it’s not a question mark anymore,” De Blasio said on CNN on Friday morning. “Obviously we are being warned that it could even be worse. We find this out with each storm. Sometimes it’s less than we expected, sometimes it’s more. So for any governor, it’s time to come home.”


A blizzard warning remains in effect in New York City, portions of northeast New Jersey and Long Island, according to the National Weather Service, which said the area would see heavy snow and strong winds from Saturday morning through Sunday morning.


New Yorkers can expect snow accumulation between 7 and 12 inches and winds north 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.


On Thursday morning Mayor Bill de Blasio told New Yorkers to stay at home during the storm. Whiteout conditions are likely, making travel difficult.


“Anyone who has the illusion you’re going to be taking big trips over the weekend, get that out of your mind,” De Blasio said at a Thursday news conference.


De Blasio also detailed the city’s plans for dealing with the storm, and measures being taken to keep trains running. Last year the subway was shut down for the first time in 110 years when a storm was headed for the city, but it shifted east.


The mayor said that the Sanitation Department will deploy workers starting Friday morning, with 2,300 workers per shift. There will be 1,650 sanitation department vehicles fitted with plows, 579 salt spreaders pre-deployed on Friday evening, and 303,000 tons of rock salt available.



Updated






Suzanne Goldenberg has the latest from Washington:


For Washington, this was the second encounter with snow in 48 hours – and people were not taking chances.


After a mere two inches in Wednesday’s rush hour paralysed the city for hours – with people reporting evening commutes of eight hours skidding in block streets – many people seemed to have decided to hunker down early for the storm.


The city’s mayor, Muriel Bowser, who was severely criticised for failing to prepare roads ahead of Wednesday’s dusting, spent the morning with emergency workers.


But there were few signs of snow plows or other deployments in advance of the storm.


Much of the city seemed deserted. A few hardy souls ventured to work – some with snow pants beneath more formal wool work coats, but most people seemed preoccupied with shopping for the storm.


Schools in Washington, and the neighbouring suburbs of Virginia and Maryland were closed.


The national park service announced that the museums and memorials along the Mall were shutting at 12pm on Friday, and would remain closed at least through Sunday.


Businesses also announced they were shutting down early.


Neighbourhood list-servs lit up with sales of used kids’ snowboots and sleds. A few families in the wealthier suburbs such as Bethesda reported they were checking into hotels to avoid the expected power outages.







From the Ozarks to the eastern seaboard, millions of Americans are preparing for a potentially historic blizzard that is forecast to dump at least one foot of snow on the nation’s capital and surrounding states.


In preparation for the storm, the Guardian is bringing live updates on the empty grocery store shelves, sold out snow shovels and dire predictions. Welcome to the blizzard of 2016.


These are the latest predictions from the National Weather Service:


  • Washington DC appears to be the bull’s eye of the storm. Forecasters have said there is a 90% chance that the capital will receive more than 12 inches of snow.

  • DC won’t be the only place to see winter weather. The storm is currently tracking across Mississippi, heading northeast across Tennessee, Kentucky, the Carolinas and West Virginia toward the east coast cities of Philadelphia and Baltimore.

  • At least five states have pre-emptively declared a state of emergency.

  • Coastal flood warnings are in effect along the eastern seaboard, and forecasters are warning of high surf and gusting winds.

  • And across the region, grocery store shelves are turning up empty, and snow shovels are reportedly selling out.

Stay tuned for all the latest as the snowstorm bites. Read our latest news report here.



Updated



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East coast winter storm: travel chaos as thousands of flights cancelled


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