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| Winter’s One-Two Punch: Behind the Storm, a Dangerous Flash Freeze | Winter’s One-Two Punch: Behind the Storm, a Dangerous Flash Freeze |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — As a powerful winter storm moved up the East Coast to Maine and then out to sea on Sunday, residents across the Midwest and the Eastern Seaboard were bracing for winter’s next blow: plunging temperatures and blustery winds right behind the storm that were expected to freeze solid everything in sight, creating dangerous travel conditions and potentially widespread power failures. | |
| Already on Sunday morning, thousands of utility customers were without electricity in Connecticut, where freezing rain had damaged trees and power lines. The influx of Arctic air was expected only to make matters worse. | Already on Sunday morning, thousands of utility customers were without electricity in Connecticut, where freezing rain had damaged trees and power lines. The influx of Arctic air was expected only to make matters worse. |
| Gov. Ned Lamont warned residents that temperatures were expected to fall by 20 degrees or more by Monday morning, and urged them to stay off the state’s roads so that plows could clear them of snow before they froze over. He also urged people to clear their own driveways while they can. | Gov. Ned Lamont warned residents that temperatures were expected to fall by 20 degrees or more by Monday morning, and urged them to stay off the state’s roads so that plows could clear them of snow before they froze over. He also urged people to clear their own driveways while they can. |
| “That’s going to get very icy by later this afternoon,” he said. | “That’s going to get very icy by later this afternoon,” he said. |
| The flash freeze was already taking hold farther to the west. In State College, Pa., the National Weather Service reported Sunday morning that the temperature on the roof of its office had fallen to 24 degrees Fahrenheit from 32.4 degrees in about an hour. | The flash freeze was already taking hold farther to the west. In State College, Pa., the National Weather Service reported Sunday morning that the temperature on the roof of its office had fallen to 24 degrees Fahrenheit from 32.4 degrees in about an hour. |
| The Arctic air moving in behind the storm was expected to deliver freezing temperatures as far south as Tallahassee, Fla., and to snarl travel across most of the Northeast, even in areas where the storm dropped little or no snow. | The Arctic air moving in behind the storm was expected to deliver freezing temperatures as far south as Tallahassee, Fla., and to snarl travel across most of the Northeast, even in areas where the storm dropped little or no snow. |
| “Anything that remains liquid is going to freeze rather quickly, so there will be dangerous travel conditions,” said Rich Otto, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Md. | “Anything that remains liquid is going to freeze rather quickly, so there will be dangerous travel conditions,” said Rich Otto, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Md. |
| More than 10,000 people in Connecticut were without power on Sunday morning, according to Eversource and United Illuminating, two utility companies, in large part because so much of the storm’s precipitation in the state had come in the form of sleet or freezing rain. Mr. Otto said that the trouble could multiply as the frigid winds pick up during the day. | More than 10,000 people in Connecticut were without power on Sunday morning, according to Eversource and United Illuminating, two utility companies, in large part because so much of the storm’s precipitation in the state had come in the form of sleet or freezing rain. Mr. Otto said that the trouble could multiply as the frigid winds pick up during the day. |
| “Those kind of winds blowing on those power lines and trees that are already stressed from the weight of the ice, I think, is going to be problematic,” he said. | “Those kind of winds blowing on those power lines and trees that are already stressed from the weight of the ice, I think, is going to be problematic,” he said. |
| Governor Lamont warned Connecticut residents on Twitter that power outages could be prolonged, and urged those who currently had power to keep their phones charged. | Governor Lamont warned Connecticut residents on Twitter that power outages could be prolonged, and urged those who currently had power to keep their phones charged. |
| Farther north and farther inland, the storm mainly dropped snow. As of Sunday morning, the greatest total reported was in Lake Desolation, N.Y., north of Albany in the southern Adirondack Mountains, where 16 inches fell, Mr. Otto said. | Farther north and farther inland, the storm mainly dropped snow. As of Sunday morning, the greatest total reported was in Lake Desolation, N.Y., north of Albany in the southern Adirondack Mountains, where 16 inches fell, Mr. Otto said. |
| New York City received little snow, with no reports of accumulation in Manhattan, though there were minor amounts in suburban areas before the precipitation turned to heavy rain. | New York City received little snow, with no reports of accumulation in Manhattan, though there were minor amounts in suburban areas before the precipitation turned to heavy rain. |
| Mr. Otto said there was potential for flooding on Long Island, in southeastern New England and possibly in eastern Maine. | Mr. Otto said there was potential for flooding on Long Island, in southeastern New England and possibly in eastern Maine. |
| The National Weather Service is providing forecasts and warnings as usual during the storm, even though it is affected by the partial government shutdown, along with the rest of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Meteorologists like Mr. Otto are working without pay. | The National Weather Service is providing forecasts and warnings as usual during the storm, even though it is affected by the partial government shutdown, along with the rest of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Meteorologists like Mr. Otto are working without pay. |
| “I would say it’s a little more stressful than it normally is, but over all we’re all passionate about the weather here, and we come in here positive and enthusiastic,” Mr. Otto said, adding that the failure so far to resolve the standoff was “a little discouraging.” | “I would say it’s a little more stressful than it normally is, but over all we’re all passionate about the weather here, and we come in here positive and enthusiastic,” Mr. Otto said, adding that the failure so far to resolve the standoff was “a little discouraging.” |