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| Winter storm set to bring foot of snow and frigid temperatures to US east | Winter storm set to bring foot of snow and frigid temperatures to US east |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A state of emergency was declared in New York state on Thursday afternoon as cities across mid-west and north-east US braced for a severe snow storm and extreme cold. | A state of emergency was declared in New York state on Thursday afternoon as cities across mid-west and north-east US braced for a severe snow storm and extreme cold. |
| More than 10 inches of snow was expected in New York City and up to 14 inches in Boston, with weather warnings affecting more than 100 million people in cities across the region. | More than 10 inches of snow was expected in New York City and up to 14 inches in Boston, with weather warnings affecting more than 100 million people in cities across the region. |
| The storm is expected to move across more than a dozen states. Heavy snow and strong winds are expected across the north-east through Thursday evening and into Friday. | The storm is expected to move across more than a dozen states. Heavy snow and strong winds are expected across the north-east through Thursday evening and into Friday. |
| The National Weather Service warned that bitter cold will move in following the storms, as it forecast temperatures 20 to 30F below normal. The NWS warned of “the most frigid conditions” in years in New York City and elsewhere in the state. Blizzards were expected along stretches of the eastern seaboard, from Long Island in New York to Boston. | The National Weather Service warned that bitter cold will move in following the storms, as it forecast temperatures 20 to 30F below normal. The NWS warned of “the most frigid conditions” in years in New York City and elsewhere in the state. Blizzards were expected along stretches of the eastern seaboard, from Long Island in New York to Boston. |
| New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced a “statewide state of emergency” just before 4pm on Thursday. He warned motorists to “stay off the roads if you can”. | New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced a “statewide state of emergency” just before 4pm on Thursday. He warned motorists to “stay off the roads if you can”. |
| At an early evening briefing the new mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio, said a decision on whether to close New York City's public schools would be taken in the early hours of Friday morning. De Blasio also said New Yorkers should use mass transit rather than drive, but warned that people should expect delays. | |
| In Massachusetts, state workers were sent home at 3pm and the state’s governor, Deval Patrick, urged private employers to do the same. The Massachusetts emergency management agency said it would be at level three, indicating that local state of emergencies would be declared and that state and federal recovery assistance would be required. | In Massachusetts, state workers were sent home at 3pm and the state’s governor, Deval Patrick, urged private employers to do the same. The Massachusetts emergency management agency said it would be at level three, indicating that local state of emergencies would be declared and that state and federal recovery assistance would be required. |
| "Temperatures are expected to plummet tonight and tomorrow with wind chills dropping as low as 25 degrees below zero [Fahrenheit, -32C)],” Patrick said. "That is a very dangerous set of circumstances." | "Temperatures are expected to plummet tonight and tomorrow with wind chills dropping as low as 25 degrees below zero [Fahrenheit, -32C)],” Patrick said. "That is a very dangerous set of circumstances." |
| Weather advisories have been put in place from Chicago eastward. The more severe winter storm warnings were in effect in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, North Carolina, West Virginia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine on Thursday. | Weather advisories have been put in place from Chicago eastward. The more severe winter storm warnings were in effect in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, North Carolina, West Virginia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine on Thursday. |
| There were over 5,000 delays in the US by 4pm Thursday, as the storm moved east. The Flight Aware tracking website said more than 1,800 flights had been cancelled by mid-afternoon. The worst affected airports were in Chicago and New York City, where airports were preparing to accomodate passengers whose flights were cancelled. | There were over 5,000 delays in the US by 4pm Thursday, as the storm moved east. The Flight Aware tracking website said more than 1,800 flights had been cancelled by mid-afternoon. The worst affected airports were in Chicago and New York City, where airports were preparing to accomodate passengers whose flights were cancelled. |
| "We have a few hundred cots at each of the airports should you decide to become an overnight guest," Thomas Bosco, an official with the Port Authority of New York and Jersey told the Associated Press. | "We have a few hundred cots at each of the airports should you decide to become an overnight guest," Thomas Bosco, an official with the Port Authority of New York and Jersey told the Associated Press. |
| The NWS said the heaviest snow would fall from central New York to the Massachusetts coast. Up to 14in of snow was forecast for Boston, and a blizzard warning was in effect to the south of the city. All of the city’s public schools will be closed on Friday, mayor Tom Menino has announced. | The NWS said the heaviest snow would fall from central New York to the Massachusetts coast. Up to 14in of snow was forecast for Boston, and a blizzard warning was in effect to the south of the city. All of the city’s public schools will be closed on Friday, mayor Tom Menino has announced. |
| At least 8in of snow is expected across most of Massachusetts, the NWS said. It warned that the region would be hit by "dangerously low wind chills" and said residents should ensure they had warm clothing and sufficient heating fuel should they become isolated. | At least 8in of snow is expected across most of Massachusetts, the NWS said. It warned that the region would be hit by "dangerously low wind chills" and said residents should ensure they had warm clothing and sufficient heating fuel should they become isolated. |
| The NWS warned that a wind chill of 0 to -5F (-17.8C to -20.6C) was likely in New York City, and -5F to -15F(-20.6C to -26.1C) inland: “Making for the most frigid conditions the area has experienced in years”. | The NWS warned that a wind chill of 0 to -5F (-17.8C to -20.6C) was likely in New York City, and -5F to -15F(-20.6C to -26.1C) inland: “Making for the most frigid conditions the area has experienced in years”. |
| As much as 10in of snow is predicted to fall in the city, with the storm expected to provide an early test of De Blasio's leadership. De Blasio, who was sworn in as mayor in New Year's Day, has promised that the city will be prepared. | |
| “Something like a snowstorm, I take very personally. I can see it, I can feel it, I can touch it, it’s not an abstraction,” De Blasio said on Tuesday. “We are 100% ready.” | “Something like a snowstorm, I take very personally. I can see it, I can feel it, I can touch it, it’s not an abstraction,” De Blasio said on Tuesday. “We are 100% ready.” |
| At his Thursday briefing, he said: "Regardless of the exact number of inches of snow we receive we know it will be windy and icy. We have to be ready for this, temperatures will fall into the low teens tonight and could in fact go lower with wind chill." | |
| John Doherty, the New York City sanitation commissioner, said it was "going to be a very difficult night". | |
| "The wind is going to be blowing, there is going to be high gusts," he said. The city's sanitation department would have all 365 snow plows deployed, Doherty said, but the wind could cause problems in clearing streets. "It's going to take us a while to get this done while it blows down." | |
| In 2010, De Blasio was among those who criticised then-mayor Michael Bloomberg, amid accusations that the city was under-prepared for a huge dump of snow. It took days for streets to be cleared in some parts of New York and Bloomberg was accused of prioritising clearing Manhattan, over other boroughs. | In 2010, De Blasio was among those who criticised then-mayor Michael Bloomberg, amid accusations that the city was under-prepared for a huge dump of snow. It took days for streets to be cleared in some parts of New York and Bloomberg was accused of prioritising clearing Manhattan, over other boroughs. |
| The NWS warned that travel would be difficult between New York and Boston, due to the storm. | The NWS warned that travel would be difficult between New York and Boston, due to the storm. |
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