Snow Squalls Bring Near-Whiteout Conditions to Northeast

By Faith Karimi and Steve Almasy, CNN

In a matter of minutes, visibility for people brave enough to go out onto streets in the Northeast deteriorated quickly Wednesday as whipping winds brought snow squalls.

One moment people could see down the block, and the next, they could barely see their own hands. Minutes later, it was clear again.

The squalls ripped through the Northeast, bringing brief near-whiteout conditions to New York, Philadelphia and other cities. They are part of an Arctic plunge hammering the northern part of the contiguous United States, causing the deaths of at least nine people.

A 26-vehicle accident on Route 222 in Pennsylvania came after visibility deteriorated rapidly, officials said. Seven people were sent to a hospital, Wyomissing police Chief Jeffrey R. Biehl said. There was no immediate word on the nature of their injuries, he said.

A motorist who was caught in the squall said, “The roads seemed OK but the snow started and the visibility went to impossible quickly.”

Matt McDermott, who is a pollster, according to his Twitter account, posted a video time-lapse showing the change in scenery over 10 minuted as the storm screamed into New York City.

In the distance, a US flag blows fully unfurled in the wind, but two-thirds of the way through the video, the flag and the buildings around it are hard to see.

The National Weather Service said people affected by the squalls would see a quick burst of snow, combined with winds gusting over 30 mph, that will make it nearly impossible to see and make travel on the roads very dangerous.

Airports will likely be impacted as the band pushes through, meteorologists said. LaGuardia Airport had a ground stoppage, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The weather service also issued squall warnings for parts of Connecticut, Maine and Vermont. A squall is a sudden increase of wind speed by at least 18 mph.

Deaths linked to brutal weather

As millions grapple with the frigid temperatures, at least nine deaths have been linked to the extreme weather this week.

Officials in Iowa said there have been four deaths there this week, including the discovery of a University of Iowa student on Wednesday.

The man, a sophomore, was found unresponsive about 3 a.m. CT behind a campus recreational facility. According to the National Weather Service, the temperature in Iowa City at that time was about 21 below zero and it had been below zero all day.

There also have been storm-related deaths reported in Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana and Wisconsin, authorities said.

Post office takes a day off

Earlier, officials in the Midwest warned of almost instant frostbite as temperatures in the region plunged below zero. Some state offices were closed and postal workers won’t deliver mail in 10 states. Thousands of flights have been canceled along with dozens of train services — most of them in and out of Chicago.

Over the next few days, more than 200 million, or nearly 70% of the continental United States, will continue to see temperatures at or below freezing. More than 80 million, or 27%, will see temperatures continue to be below zero.

It’s only getting chillier. Meteorologists predict at least 40 record lows will be set in the Midwest and Northeast after sundown, including in New York and Washington, which are expecting single-digit temperatures.

With at least five deaths linked to the extreme conditions this week, authorities are urging people to bundle up, stay inside and check up on the elderly and vulnerable in what experts are describing as “the coldest air in a generation.”

Upstate New York bracing for nastiness

There is already 11 inches of snow in part of western New York, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that forecasters were predicting totals of 24 inches by the time it stops falling. Rochester had about 8 inches, he said, and Syracuse had 9.

Upstate is the concern, the governor said, explaining the polar vortex will prove more complicated than other storms. Snow plows are already being transported from New York City and Long Island to northern parts of the state.

In Buffalo, officials have more than 50 plows ready to handle the snowfall, and they’ve laid more than 800 tons of salt on roads.

“We have lost lives in storms like this,” he said, adding that the state is stepping up policing to ensure residents heed road advisories.

Chicago will be below zero for days

While most of the Midwest will see frigid temperatures, Chicago will be “the epicenter of the extreme cold,” CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen said.

Chicago could reach a record low temperature of 27 below zero by Thursday morning. Its daytime high Wednesday was forecast to be 15 below zero. Officials there are setting railroad tracks on fire because the extreme cold can cause defects.

“Chicago officially fell below zero prior to 6 p.m. (Tuesday) at O’Hare and it may not get back to zero until Thursday evening,” National Weather Service in Chicago tweeted.

It’ll be so cold, Chicago-area residents would be better off warming up in parts of Antarctica. The high temperature Wednesday in Priestley Glacier, Antarctica, will be 6 degrees Fahrenheit, with a low of 7 below zero.

Wednesday night could bring record temperatures in the city and region. Forecasts predict a low of negative 27, the lowest temperature on record in Chicago, and 35 to 40 below zero in northern Illinois, where the record is negative 36, set in 1999.

More than 3,300 flights involving US airports were canceled Tuesday and Wednesday, including more than 2,000 in and out of Chicago airports, according to FlightAware.com.

Amtrak canceled all service to and from Chicago on Wednesday due to weather, including short-distance trains and long-distance overnight trains. It said it typically operates 55 trains daily to and from the Chicago hub.

Mail delivery will also be canceled in Michigan, Indiana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and parts of Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Nebraska.

In Minnesota, frostbite can hit in minutes

Frigid temperatures are not the only concern. In Minnesota, blustery weather brought rare wind chills of negative 60. In Ponsford, the wind chill was negative 66, CNN meteorologist Michael Guy said.

“These are VERY DANGEROUS conditions and can lead to frostbite on exposed skin in as little as five minutes where wind chill values are below -50,” the National Weather Service tweeted. “Best thing you can do is limit your time outside.”

Hennen described it as the “coldest air in a generation.” Temperatures will plunge to 20-40 degrees below zero between Tuesday and Thursday in the Upper Midwest, Hennen said.

In northern Minnesota, wind chills were forecast to drop to 65-70 degrees below zero, which would rival the coldest wind chill ever recorded in the state (71 below) in 1982.

Frostbite is an issue in central Iowa, too

In central Iowa, wind chills are also a major concern.

The National Weather Service forecast dangerous wind chills of negative 45 degrees for Des Moines, minus 57 for Waterloo and negative 60 for Mason City into Wednesday night.

“This is the coldest air many of us will have ever experienced,” it tweeted.

Wind chill refers to how cold people and animals feel when they’re outdoors, according to the weather service. It’s how much heat is lost from exposed skin while it’s windy and cold. The faster the wind, the more heat is drawn from the body, which lowers the skin temperature and, ultimately, the internal body temperature.

Frostbite is caused by freezing of the skin and underlying tissues. It’s most common on the fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin. Severe cases can kill body tissue.

North Dakota residents told to avoid roads

In North Dakota, authorities issued a “no travel” advisory for the state’s northeast region, warning motorists to stay off the road in those areas due to zero visibility from blowing snow. The region includes Grand Forks and its surroundings.

The North Dakota Highway Patrol also issued a travel alert for southeast North Dakota due to blowing snow. Cities included in the travel alert are Fargo, Casselton and surrounding areas.

“A travel alert means conditions are such that motorists can still travel in these areas, but should be advised of changing conditions. Motorists are encouraged to wear seat belts, reduce speeds and drive according to the conditions,” it said.

The wind chill at Grand Forks International Airport was 61 degrees below zero, the National Weather Service said. Extreme cold will continue through Thursday, with wind chills down into the negative 60s, according to the National Weather Service.

State offices closed in Michigan

In west Michigan, with wind chills between negative 20 and negative 40 expected Wednesday through Thursday morning, the National Weather Service warned residents that “these temperatures the next few days are nothing to mess with.”

“We are not used to this. Take steps to prevent frostbite and hypothermia,” it said.

All state offices will be closed Wednesday and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has declared a state of emergency.

“Such widespread, extreme conditions have not occurred in Michigan for many years. It’s imperative that we are proactive with record-low temperatures being predicted by the National Weather Service,” she said.

“Wind chills are predicted as low as 50 degrees below zero in many places, such as metro Detroit which is especially unaccustomed to these temps.”