New England digs out after big winter storm
BOSTON — Hardy souls across New England were spending their Sunday shoveling out after a major storm dumped more than 2 feet of snow in some areas, causing multiple road accidents, downing power lines and leaving hundreds of thousands across the Northeast without electricity.
Road conditions were dangerous Saturday night for crews seeking to restore power, according to Central Maine Power, the state’s largest utility, which said the company’s focus overnight was responding to emergency calls and making downed power lines safe.
As of daylight Sunday, crews began assessing and clearing damage to begin widespread power restoration efforts. The company said it anticipates a multi-day effort in areas hardest hit by the storm.
“Damage to trees, poles, and wires was significant overnight on Saturday, and our assessors are taking stock of the damage today so we can begin restoring power to our customers as quickly and as safely as possible,” said Jon Breed, from Central Maine Power.
Police across the Northeast reported hundreds of traffic accidents as cars spun out and drivers grappled with icy road conditions.
As the storm was winding down, about 200,000 customers were without power in Maine and another 80,000 or so without power in New Hampshire.
Breed said ahead of the storm, the company prestaged 150 crews across their service area and another 200 crews were arriving Sunday.
Versant, Maine’s second largest utility reported about 15,000 outages Sunday morning, compared to 188,000 reported by Central Maine.
Zack Taylor, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said heavy snowfall from the storm stretched across the region, including upstate and northern New York through Vermont, New Hampshire, and most of Maine.
Many areas saw totals of 8 to 12 inches of snow, but there was a localized area that saw over 2 feet.
Some of the highest totals exceeded 30 inches in south central Vermont.
“So overall, it was a pretty significant winter storm and for some areas that was some of the most snow they’ve seen all winter with a single storm,” Taylor said.