Winter Storm Stella slams northeastern US

World Today

A winter storm has hit the northeastern United States with heavy snow and strong winds. This has been causing travel chaos, with thousands of flights cancelled.

At least 18 million people are under a blizzard warning and millions more are in the path of the storm.

CGTN’s Nick Harper reports from New York.

Follow Nick Harper on Twitter @NickHarperFSN

In New York City, crews struggled to keep the sidewalks clear in the rapidly falling snow. People were advised to stay home, but some early morning commuters braved the elements on foot. 

Some 8,000 flights have been cancelled. Meanwhile, nearly all flights were grounded at New York’s three main airports. Still, the city was spared the worst of the blizzard.

“The way the weather pattern is actually shaping up, the storm has moved more westward. It is less of a snowstorm in New York City and Long Island,” Andrew Cuomo, New York state governor said.

Even so, that still meant sleet and freezing rain, making the roads more dangerous. Many people in outlying towns laid low. Snow in the suburbs was heavier, meaning cancellation of dozens of commuter trains. People spent the day shoveling themselves out.

In Manhattan, there was more than 30 centimeters of snow, and there’s more predicted. This late winter storm forced five states to declare a state of emergency, and another six northeastern states were affected.

Further south in the U.S. capital of Washington, D.C., the snow, though lighter, pushed a planned trip by Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel to later in the week.

While in parts of Connecticut, roads were reclaimed by wildlife. Before the snow hit, many stocked up.

The big dig has began to un-bury the American northeast. While all the snow might be misery for millions, some clearly weathered the storm better than others.