NEW YORK, (MILLAT/APP/AFP) – Winter Storm Stella
unleashed its fury on much of the northeastern United States on Tuesday, dropping snow and sleet across the region and leading to school closures and thousands of flight cancellations.
Stella, the most powerful winter storm of the season, was forecast to dump up to two feet (60 centimeters) of snow in New York and whip the area with combined with winds of up to 60 miles per hour (95 kilometers per hour), causing treacherous whiteout conditions.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said winter storm warnings were in
effect from eastern West Virginia to Maine, “and blizzard warnings from eastern Pennsylvania to southwest Maine,” an area that includes New York City.
“Snowfall amounts in excess of a foot are likely inland along with strong and gusty winds. High winds and tidal flooding are going to be an issue for coastal areas north of the Outer Banks,” off the coast of North Carolina, the agency said.
More than 6,800 flights were cancelled for Monday and Tuesday, with
airports in New York, Boston, Baltimore, Washington and Philadelphia hit
hardest, according to the tracking service FlightAware.
In Connecticut, the governor announced a statewide travel ban, telling residents across the affected regions to stay off the roads.
The storm also led to the postponement of the first meeting between
President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Washington until Friday.
In New York, the UN headquarters announced it would close, a disruption for the thousands of delegates expected to attend a women’s conference.