Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Winter Storm Goliath Moves Into Northeast After Shutting Down Midwestern Travel; 13 Killed

Sean Breslin
Published: December 29,2015

Winter Storm Goliath plowed into parts of the Southwest and Southern Plains over the weekend, bringing blizzard conditions to parts of Texas and New Mexico while leaving thick ice behind in Oklahoma. Then, the storm moved into the Midwest, causing major problems for travelers. Now, it's the Northeast's turn.
More than three feet of snow fell in parts of eastern New Mexico during the fierce winter storm, and violent winds drove snow drifts as high as 8 to 10 feet. As the storm moved into Chicago, it caused hundreds of flight cancelations. So far, 13 people have been killed by the storm's impacts.
(FORECAST: The Latest on Winter Storm Goliath)
Below are the latest state-by-state impacts from this intense winter storm.

Minnesota 

The Minnesota State Patrol reported a car accident resulting in four deaths due to "wet and snowpacked" road conditions Tuesday afternoon. Traveling southbound on Minnesota State Highway 65, a family's small SUV slid sideways into oncoming traffic before colliding with an oncoming car. Of the passengers in the northbound SUV, 3 of the 5 were considered to have "serious" injuries.  

Vermont

Three people were killed in a car accident on a snow-covered road in Killington, about one mile away from an access road to the Killington Ski Resort, according to WPTZ News. The accident involved a tractor-trailer and an SUV near a notoriously steep portion of U.S. Route 4. The Vermont State Police urges drivers to steer clear of the area near the accident.

Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported that the friend of missing country singer Craig Strickland, Chase Marland, was found dead in a lake after the pair's boat capsized while on a hunting trip. Strong winds, up to 45 MPH, were recorded in the area around the same time the two were out. Strickland, however, has not yet been found.
The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said Tuesday that 104 storm-related injuries were reported in the Sooner State since Goliath's snow and ice began over the weekend.
Widespread thick ice was reported across central Oklahoma Monday morning, and the Department of Transportation reported awful driving conditions across much of the state.
Nearly 200,000 customers were without power Monday afternoon in Oklahoma, according to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. Goliath's heavy ice toppled trees and power lines, making it dangerous for residents and power crews to be outside.
Just before 10 a.m. local time Monday morning, the Oklahoma City Police Department tweeted that they will only be responding to crashes with injuries, due to the surge in accidents and spinouts.
Many of the major interstates around Oklahoma City were extremely icy, and drivers were urged to stay home.

Missouri

Two people were killed on ice-covered roads in north-central Missouri Monday morning, according to the Associated Press. Larry G. McAtee, 47, lost control of his pickup truck on Missouri 6 and slid into an SUV that was driven by Lesa Vanvelzer, 55. The collision occurred about six miles east of Milan at 9:05 a.m. CST, according to the accident report.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol said McAtee died at the scene, and Vanvelzer passed away at the hospital Monday night.

New York

Four lanes of the six-lane Interstate 90 outside Albany were closed Tuesday morning due to a fatal crash that involved a tractor-trailer and a minivan.
The accident occurred at about 1:30 a.m. EST in the eastbound lanes of I-90 in the town of East Greenbush, located just east of Albany, according to the AP. One person was killed in the crash, according to WTEN-TV. New York State Police identified the victim as 22-year-old James Davis, from Albany.
BREAKING: One person killed in crash on I-90. Several lanes remain closed.

At the time of the collision, snow and sleet were falling in the area, and authorities believe slick roads likely caused the crash.
The winter storm knocked out power to about 5,000 customers in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties on Tuesday, the AP also said.

Massachusetts

Residents may have been happy to hear the first snow was finally on its way, but the roadways quickly became slick and multiple accidents were reported Tuesday morning.
Several accidents were reported on I-495 in Chelmsford and Route 24 in the Brockton/West Bridgewater area, according to the AP, but overall, most roads were problem-free. Traffic was slow, but the mass transit system was mostly smooth and there were no major power outages Tuesday morning.
Gov. Charlie Baker called Goliath a "tier 1" storm, the lowest on the state's 5-tier scale, the AP added.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation urged residents to take public transportation Tuesday to ease the volume of vehicles on the snowy roadways.

Connecticut

Numerous accidents were reported on the state's roadways Tuesday morning, but none were considered serious, according to CT Post. Officials urged drivers to slow down, but all major roadways were open.
Tuesday morning, Connecticut State Police told the AP they responded to at least 50 crashes.
Few power outages were reported Tuesday morning, CT Post also said. Less than a dozen flights were canceled out of Bradley International Airport by 9 a.m. local time Tuesday morning, according to FlightAware.

Rhode Island

More than two dozen accidents were reported by officials on slushy roads Tuesday, but there were no significant power outages anywhere in the state.
All ferry service to Block Island was canceled Tuesday as a result of the nasty weather, the AP said.

Illinois

A northern Illinois high school has lost the dome at its sporting facility to Winter Storm Goliath.
The 13-year-old inflatable dome at Hononegah High School in Rockton was brought down under the weight of snow and ice, according to the Rockford Register Star. The facility is used to host community events and indoor sports during the colder months, the report added.
It could take as long as three or four months to replace the roof, School Board President Dave Kurlinkus told the newspaper.
"We talked about this when it first went up," Kurlinkus said. "What happens when it snows? It’s designed so that [the snow] slides off. Something different happened this time, whether it was ice-related because the ice up there did something, I don’t know. That’s where [the investigation] is right now."
Much of northern Illinois reported snowy, icy conditions Monday as Goliath pounded the state, and it had major effects on travel.
More than 700 flights were canceled at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on Monday alone, according to FlightAware. Midway International Airport reported more than 150 additional cancelations. There were additional cancelations at the two airports Tuesday morning, though not nearly as many as Monday.
Ice began to accumulate in parts of central and northern Illinois Monday morning, and officials urged residents to prepare for possible power outages, as the thick ice and strong winds will likely knock down trees and power lines.
@TWCChrisWarren icing continues in Fulton, IL

Michigan

More than 63,000 Michigan residents woke up in the dark Tuesday morning after Goliath's heavy snow, freezing rain and strong winds knocked out power.
State offices reopened Tuesday after Gov. Rick Snyder ordered them to close on Monday, the AP reported. He also activated the Emergency Response Center to help with relief efforts, the report added.
Winds gusted as high as 60 mph in parts of the state Monday, while snow totals from Goliath surpassed 10 inches Monday night and Tuesday morning, the National Weather Service said.
While he watched TV with his son, Jermaine Overton's Summit Township home was damaged by a falling tree Monday, according to the Jackson Citizen Patriot.
"It was such a loud, thunderous noise," he told the newspaper.

Wisconsin

Two Milwaukee men have died after trying to clean up snow left by the passing storm. One, a 73-year-old man, was pronounced dead Tuesday afternoon after collapsing while snow blowing. The other, a 54-year-old-man, collapsed near the same time while shoveling snow. Both deaths were reported by CBS Milwaukee.
Tuesday morning's commute should be easier than the one thousands of Wisconsin drivers suffered through on Monday night, when officials reported hundreds of accidents on state roadways.
More than 300 crashes were reported on Monday, mostly in the Milwaukee and Madison areas, authorities told the AP. Milwaukee County employees were sent home early Monday afternoon as conditions worsened, but they expected to reopen offices Tuesday morning.
More than 11 inches of snow fell in Green Bay from Goliath, according to storm reports from the NWS.
Tweet me your photos... Poor guy in this picture lost something in the snow.

Indiana

Parts of Indiana saw their first major winter storm of the year, and state roadways paid the price.
Snowy, icy interstates were the site of many accidents – too many to count, officials told the AP – Monday morning and afternoon. One of the roadways that was especially poor was Interstate 80/94 in Lake County, located in northwestern Indiana.
"In many ways this is one of the first winter weather events of the year and that can be challenging because as you well know people forget how to drive," Matt Deitchley, spokesman for the Indiana Department of Transportation, told the (Munster) Times. "People need to brake early and check their brakes often and reduce speeds."
Thousands of customers in northern Indiana lost power due to the weather conditions Monday afternoon, multiple power companies told the AP.

Iowa

Snow and freezing rain became problematic all over the state Monday morning, and many of the state's roads were either partially or completely snow-covered, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation.
Dozens of crashes were reported on the state's roadways on Monday.
Although schools are closed for the holiday break, several other groups and businesses also announced closures Tuesday due to the weather; KCCI.com has a complete list.

South Dakota

Before the start of 2016, Sioux Falls has already surpassed the total snowfall of a year ago. With at least 5 inches of snow on the ground from Goliath, the NWStold the AP that the city has already recorded 34.5 inches for the 2015-16 season. Last year, the city only reported 32 inches total.
All that snow needs to be cleared, and Sioux Falls has issued its fourth snow alert of the season, the AP also reported. City Street-Fleet Manager Galynn Huber told the AP they'll need to clear 3,000 miles of street lanes.

Nebraska

Roads became snow-covered and dangerous all over Nebraska on Monday, and authorities responded by urging drivers to be extremely careful, or just stay off the roads altogether.
RT @NatalieMicale: NSP tells me bridges and overpasses are SLICK on I-80 and they want YOU to slow down.

New Mexico

A couple was finally rescued after spending 20 hours in their car, trapped under a 12-foot snow drift, on a roadway near Clovis.
Jimmy and Betty Anderson sat in complete darkness on Curry Road 6, rescue crews unable to reach them due to whiteout conditions, in their car from Saturday night through Sunday afternoon, according to the Clovis News Journal. They slept very little during that time, hopeful that crews would arrive and dig them out, Jimmy said in the report.
Finally, at about 4 p.m. Sunday, they were removed from the car, and while Betty was taken to the hospital for chest pains, she is expected to be released, the report added. Jimmy was not injured; the couple was out on their newspaper route for the News Journal, the report also said.
“We owe a lot of people a debt of gratitude,” Jimmy told the News Journal. “People were coming from all over trying to help us.”
More than 3 feet of snow was recorded near Bonito Lake, while at least 2 feet fell near Edgewood, Sedillo and San Antonito. Days later, crews are still working to clear roadways so drivers can resume their travel.
I-40 between Albuquerque and the Texas state line was reopened late Monday morning, the AP reported, and U.S. 285 between I-40 at Clines Corners to the Texas state line was opened later Monday.
The state Department of Transportation rescued several stranded drivers on Monday, the AP also said. Officials urged drivers to remain at home if possible, and use extreme caution if travel is necessary.
Gas station roof collapsed under snow and ice

Police spokesman Fred Duran told the AP hotels along I-40 were full and had to turn people away at the height of the storm.
Police officers in Albuquerque said they responded to 178 weather-related accidents by Saturday night, about 58 of which involved injuries, the AP reported.
The NWS said snow drifts were as high as 8 feet in Clovis by Sunday morning. KOAT-TV reported at least 4,500 customers had lost power in Clovis.
Roswell, which receives about 11 inches of snow annually, reported 12.4 inches in one day from Goliath, breaking the all-time single-day snowfall record for the city. A total of 15.6 inches of snow fell in Roswell during the winter storm.

Texas

Northwestern Texas was crushed by Goliath, crippling travel and creating blizzard conditions. More than 51,000 customers were without power across the state Monday morning, with many of those outages attributed to the winter storm.
Officials warned people to stay off roads in the Texas Panhandle as vicious winds and heavy snow pounded the area. The I-40 closure from the New Mexico-Texas border east to Amarillo was lifted Monday afternoon. I-27 from Plainview to Canyon was also reopened.
Schools and businesses were closed Monday across the Panhandle, including in Lubbock, Amarillo and Midland/Odessa.
According to the NWS, there were multiple reports of people stranded in vehicles in Hockley County as well as Lubbock County.
"We have whiteout conditions all over the place and it's going to continue," Paul Braun, Texas Department of Transportation Amarillo district spokesman, told the Amarillo Globe-News. Braun said crews are trying as best they can to keep streets clear, but howling winds is making it near impossible. “You go through, and it blows it right back."
According to NWS reports, Lubbock received 11 inches of snow on Sunday, the largest snowfall on a single December day since records began in 1911. The city averages 8.2 inches for the entire season.

California

The storm system responsible for Winter Storm Goliath spawned a rare December tornado east of Sacramento that damaged the roofs of numerous homes and at least one business and downed trees on Christmas Eve.
NWS meteorologist Craig Shoemaker said the tornado traveled several miles through El Dorado County Thursday afternoon with winds of 80 to 90 miles an hour. There were no reports of injuries.
The storm also brought heavy snow to California's Sierra Nevada, the AP reported. It was enough snow, in fact, to put the mountains' snowpack above average for this time of year.

Washington

More than 25 inches of snow fell in parts of the state over 24 hours. Both Interstate 90 at Snoqualmie Pass and U.S. 2 at Stevens Pass were closed at one point due to the weather. Traffic was backed up for miles as holiday travelers encountered the closures.

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