Chicago, IL, January 8, 1995 -- In what is being called the worst snowstorm in more than half a century, the entire Northeastern section of the United States is being blanketed by record amounts of snow and cold temperatures tonight. At least eight states have declared a state-of-emergency and the National Guard has been called out to assist in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. In some areas, the state police report that the only reliable method of travel is by means of four-wheel drive vehicles or military armored personnel carriers.
Sunday, the storm devastated several Mid and Southern Atlantic states, where snow, sleet, and cold temperatures are not normally seen. 24-28 inches of snow have fallen in parts of Kentucky and North Carolina, resulting in power outages, fatal traffic accidents, and the closing of many airports. At least ten people have reportedly died as the result of this storm, nine of them in traffic accidents and one while shoveling snow.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports that airports are reported closed in Washington, DC, New York, NY, Newark,New Jersey, Raleigh-Durham, NC, Philadelphia, PA, Richmond, VA. and many smaller airports. Connecting flights from and to many East coast locations are being canceled or delayed and thousands of people are reportedly stranded in Chicago, St. Louis, Memphis, and other midwest and western airports.
A late announcement from Washington, DC says the federal workers that had been returned to work on Monday by congressional budget action will not be returning after all. According to a source close to the Office of Management and Budget, all DC federal workers will be granted a "paid leave day" for Monday and will not be required to report back to work until Tuesday, at the earliest.
In Maryland, where almost two feet of snow has fallen, a public announcement has been issued by the University of Maryland and Shock Trauma Center for volunteers with four-wheel-drive vehicles to assist in getting hospital employees to work, to deliver medicines, and transport dialysis and other patients to important appointments. Similar announcements were made by the Medical Center of Delaware, and in Prince George's County, VA.
In New York City, where the storm had begun in earnest on Sunday, it was officially declared a "blizzard" by U.S. National Weather Service personnel. By 19:00EST, 14 inches of snow had fallen at LaGuardia International airport. Winds were clocked at a sustained 35m.p.h. with gusts of greater intensity. At last report, the visibility in many parts of NYC was reduced to less than a quarter of a mile, with blowing and drifting snow...and the snow was intensifying.
Late this afternoon, Mayor Rudolph Guliani declared a state-of-emergency in New York City and announced that the NYC school system would be closed on Monday, the first time that has happened since 1978. Guliani said that he had called out all of the city's 1,300 snowplows and more than 300 salt-spreaders, in an effort to keep the streets open to traffic. NYC Police, Fire, and EMS personnel will reportedly be working at peak capacity to assist citizens in need, and additional emergency personnel will be called in as needed. It was also announced that the United Nations will be closed on Monday, but that the major stock exchanges will remain open.
With an anticipated additional accumulation of 12-16 inches of snow, vicious Nor'eastr' winds, and threatened flooding of New York and New Jersey shorelines, Northeasterners are buying groceries, bundling up, and "hunkering down" for the "Blizzard of '96', one of the worst storms to strike the area in many years.
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(Ed. Note --ENN will provide continuing team coverage and additional emergency service reports as they become available)
(c) Emergencynet NEWS Service, 1996
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