Massive Snowstorm Strikes Again

Mother Nature has returned with a vengeance, striking again with a major snowstorm a week after another snowstorm hit the East Coast. So far, West Whiteland Township in Pennsylvania has the most snowfall, with 9 inches blanketing the city. New York City expects to get 8 inches, while Washington, D.C. expects only 2-4, according to the National Weather Service. Washington, D.C. and Baltimore are expected to receive snowfall soon. Southeast New England and some sections of Long Island could receive 6 inches or more.

The cold weather has even begun to spread into the Midwest. Nebraska has already received 6 inches of snow. Other states have had wind chill below freezing, with Oklahoma hitting 28 degrees Fahrenheit in the morning on Monday, Feb. 8 This windchill will linger for a few more days until it blows south, but the cold weather has already damaged the roads. Oklahoma City’s Fire Department Batt. Chief Benny Fulkerson said by 8:30 a.m. this morning, his crew had already responded to 32 wrecks.

Weather service forecaster Bob Oravec reported the storm will soon move on.

“It is a fast-moving storm,” Oravec said.

The National Weather Service defined the storm as a Nor’easter, which are mostly likely to occur from September through April. These storms can cause more than a billion dollars’ worth of damages.

Gov. Charlie Baker. of Massachusetts warned drivers to remain cautious during the bad weather.

“We’re used to dealing with snow this time of year, but it’s important for folks to take this one seriously due to the heavy snowfall, the high winds, and the speed with which this snow is going to fall when it starts to come down,” Baker said at a press conference.

However, a junior Oklahoma Christian University student Ann Magner found getting home to Nebraska easier than expected.

“The only hard part was driving home on Sunday,” she said. “When you’re driving on the interstate, no one cleared the left side fully. In general, though, it was a really dry snow that was light and easy to clean.”

As the week starts up again, however, transportation to classes and jobs could become tricky. Students can only hope this storm will not be as brutal as the first.

The first storm started Jan. 30, with news stations airing updates the next day. New York City and New Jersey both implemented emergency measures after severe conditions forced closures of businesses shortly after the storm began. Northern New Jersey received 16 inches of snow and New York received 19 inches, prompting New York State Gov.Andrew Cuomo to put 44 counties in a state of emergency.

“This is a dangerous situation,” Cuomo said in a press conference on Monday, Feb. 1. “A life-threatening situation. Expect closures. It’s going to get very bad very quickly.”

Citizens from Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Rhode Island all faced postponed vaccine appointments, closed schools and flight cancellations. In Pennsylvania, the first storm even caused multiple deaths. A 67-year-old woman with Alzheimer’s disease died of hypothermia when she strayed from her home, while a married couple got shot after arguing with someone over removing the snow.

More than a foot of snow is expected from eastern Pennsylvania to southern New England from Sunday night, Feb. 7 through Tuesday, Feb. 9, the National Weather Service said on Sunday. Oklahoma state has yet to receive snow this week. Dozens of vehicles collided in a wreck on the Oklahoma Boulevard overpass on Monday morning, Feb. 8. Freezing rain caused intermittent slick spots to form on the road, and drivers were going faster than what was safe. Around 20 cars were involved in the wreck.

For those who are worried, Major Louis Marschik with the Oklahoma City Fire Department advised staying home.