Snow blankets Boston as north-east US faces storm crisis

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/03/snow-blankets-boston-us-storm

Version 0 of 1.

A winter storm hit the US north-east with numbing winds, punishing cold and up to two feet (0.6 metres) of snow early on Friday, presenting a first test for New York's new mayor and perhaps a last one for Boston's outgoing one.

Some schools in New England and New York closed well ahead of the snow, while cities mobilised ploughs and salt spreaders, and state offices sent workers home early. Some major highways were ordered to be shut down overnight. US airlines cancelled more than 2,300 flights nationwide on Thursday in advance of the storm.

The heavy weather began rolling in on Thursday, just a day after New York mayor Bill de Blasio was sworn in to lead the nation's largest city and a few days before Boston mayor Thomas Menino ends 20 years in office.

Menino announced a parking ban and said schools would be closed on Friday in Boston. Boston's airport said it would not handle any flights after 8.30pm on Thursday.

"What a new year's gift, to receive one last snowstorm as mayor," said Menino, whose successor takes office on Monday.

By late Thursday night, the National Weather Service reported that Boxford, just north of Boston, had received nearly 2 feet of snow and parts of upstate New York had already received 18 inches.

De Blasio, who as public advocate in 2010 criticised his predecessor as mayor, Michael Bloomberg, for his handling of a post-Christmas storm, said hundreds of ploughs and salt spreaders would be on the streets as soon as the snow started falling on Thursday night.

"We have to get it right, no question about it," de Blasio said. "We are focused like a laser on protecting this city and getting everyone ready. We have all hands on deck."

Snow began falling overnight Wednesday in parts of New England and New York state. Forecasters said temperatures would plummet to well below freezing.

The weather service issued a blizzard warning for Cape Cod, coastal areas north and south of Boston and parts of Maine as well as New York's Long Island.

New York City was expecting eight inches of snow, Philadelphia up to seven inches.

As the storm approached, a worker at a suburban Philadelphia salt storage facility was killed on Thursday afternoon when a 100-foot pile of road salt fell and crushed him. Police said the man was trapped while operating a backhoe. There was no immediate word on what may have caused the accident.

Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.