Maine town buried under a foot of snow as nor’easter batters east coast
Two people were killed in Pennsylvania when the storm caused trees to fall on their cars
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Your support makes all the difference.At least four people were killed after tornadoes and severe storms tore through several states this week.
Widespread thunderstorms rolled across the central and eastern US on Tuesday bringing tennis ball-sized hail, pounding rain and dangerous winds to at least 75 million people.
After lashing parts of Texas, Illinois and Oklahoma, the weather system moved from the northern parts of Indiana and Ohio and western Pennsylvania on its track east, with tornadoes touching down in Georgia, Ohio and Tennessee.
On Wednesday, two people were killed in Pennsylvania when the storm caused trees to fall on their cars, WPVI reported.
Meanwhile, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed that at least one victim was killed in the state – as the weather caused a car accident.
After two days of heavy rain, thunderstorms, hail, and tornadoes, the east-ward moving storm system has now hit the US east coast, with severe weather hammering Florida up through New England and the northern border states.
As of Thursday morning, 137,000 homes in Maine were without power after a powerful Nor’easter hammered the state.
Power outages and travel disruption across the midwest, northeast
More than 500,000 people in New England woke up without power on Thursday after a nor’easter blew in, dropping wet, heavy snow and bringing 60mph+ winds to the region.
Residents in the Great Lakes and upper midwest were also blanketed in snow, and more than 60,000 power customers in Wisconsin and Michigian were left in the dark this morning.
The inclement weather across much of the nation has disrupted travel; airports in Boston, New York, and New Jersey reported approximately 100 cancelled flights and 150 delays on Thursday.
WATCH: Widespread storm damage reported across multiple states
At least four people died in storms this week
Severe storms that struck much of the eastern US killed at least four people this week.
On Wednesday, two people in Pennsylvania, a 70-year-old man and an 82-year-old woman, died in separate incidents when their cars were crushed by trees, according to local media reports.
In Campbell County, Kentucky, a man was killed in a traffic accident caused by severe storms, according to the state’s governor, Andy Beshear.
A 46-year-old homeless woman was found dead in Tulsa, Oklahoma after she sought shelter in a storm drain that flooded.
Two people in Ohio avoided disaster when heavy rains flooded the Scioto River in Columbus. The pair were sleeping under a bridge and became trapped by the rising waters. Rescuers in boats were able to reach them before the waters reached their position.
‘Incredibly hazardous’ conditions in Maine prevent crews from restoring power
Maine was hit especially hard by the nor’easter that blew in during the overnight hours of Wednesday into Thursday morning.
More than 300,000 people were without power as of noon. Central Maine Power crews are ready to move to restore power, but current conditions — high winds and continuous snowfall, in particular — have halted restoration work.
Jon Breed, a spokesperson for CMP, said the conditions were “incredibly hazardous,” and that crews would begin working on restoration as soon as it is safe to do so.
Elsewhere in the state, toppled trees and heavy snow have shut down roadways.
Travel in and out of Maine almost completely shut down by storm
The nor’easter battering Maine has made travel into and out of the state extremely difficult.
Almost every flight in and out of Portland International Jetport has been either cancelled or delayed into at least the afternoon.
Concord Coach Lines have also said many of their routes running between Portland and Boston were cancelled due to dangerous road conditions.
Roads have been closed across the state due to heavy snow fall and obstructions, like fallen trees, blocking the way.
Those who make it to Boston aren’t likely to have better luck at catching a flight; nearly half of the flights leaving or arriving in Boston have been cancelled or delayed due to the storm.
WATCH: Northeast US drenched by rain and snow
70mph winds and more than six inches of snow in some Massachusetts communities
More than six inches of snow blanketed some Massachusetts communities on Thursday.
In Franklin County, Hawley recorded 8.2 inches of snowfall Thursday, and Plainfield in Hampshire County recorded 8 inches. Ashburnham in Worcester County saw 6.3 inches, according to local broadcaster WCVB.
Multiple counties reported winds in excess of 60mph, while Wellfleet in Barnstable County recorded 73mph winds. Winds become hurricane-force when they’re sustained at or above 74mph.
EF-1 tornado confirmed to have hit Georgia county
The National Weather Service has confirmed that an EF-1 tornado touched down in Crisp County, Georgia on Wednesday morning.
The tornado caused significant damage in the area.
According to local officials, 39 homes were damaged by the storm.
Crisp County Sheriff’s Office public information officer Haley Wade told WALB that many of the affected homes were vacation properties and that the owners are only seeing the damage up close for the first time today.
“Today, reality sets in for a lot of individuals. Yesterday, we had the initial shock of the damage and the devastation, but today reality sinks in as their homes, their lots, a lot of that suffers from damage and they’re working through recovery,” she told the broadcaster.
Forecasted storms prompt closing of portions of the Pacific Coast Highway in California
While the northeast battles power outages and heavy snowfall from a spring nor’easter, on the west coast California is closing down a portion of the iconic Highway 1 before storms hit the area.
A portion of the highway collapsed after storms last week eroded the ground near the highway.
The collapse occurred on Saturday approximately 17 miles south of Monterey near the Rocky Creek Bridge. The route was re-opened on Sunday, but officials have chosen to shut down portions out of an abundance of caution.
Residents of Big Sur were warned by the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office to evacuate before the closure on Wednesday.
Storms are expected to bring heavy rains and strong winds to southern California this weekend.
West Virginia governor expands number of counties under emergency declaration
Governor Jim Justice of West Virginia expanded the number of counties covered by an emergency declaration he issued on Tuesday, according to West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Mr Justice issued the order on Tuesday as severe storms — some of which produced damaging tornadoes — battered the state.
Barbour, Brooke, Hancock, Marshall, Ohio, Wetzel, and Wood counties have been added to the list. Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Nicholas counties were placed under the emergency declaration earlier this week.
The order allows the listed counties to receive state emergency aid.
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