By: By Sean Breslin
Published: March 12,2014
"This is just another example of what this winter has been like in the Great Lakes," said Tom Niziol, winter weather expert for The Weather Channel. "We're going to look back on this as a historical winter, from a number of standpoints."
Chicago's O'Hare International Airport was experiencing delays of more than an hour due to the snow, and at least 1,350 flights within, into or out of the United States had been canceled, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware. Road travel was also hazardous in the areas receiving heavy snowfall rates of more than an inch per hour.
In western New York, the National Weather Service confirmed blizzard conditions at Buffalo Niagara International Airport, marking the first time in 130 years of record-keeping that there have been two blizzards in one season.
(MORE: Check the Forecast for Winter Storm Vulcan)
Here's a look at the latest news from Vulcan for each state affected by the storm.
Illinois
Vulcan dumped about half a foot of snow in the Chicago area, causing power outages and headaches for commuters. The National Weather Service says 6 inches of snow was recorded at Midway International Airport Wednesday, while 3.6 fell at O'Hare International Airport. That made it the city's third-snowiest season. What started as heavy, wet snow late Tuesday became dry powder as the storm system moved out of the area. But blowing and drifting snow was reported as winds gusted to 35 mph. Utility companies were working to restore power. As of midday, 30,000 homes and businesses in northern Illinois remained without service — most of them in Cook and Will counties. Another 550 were also in the dark in central Illinois where several inches of snow fell.WMAQ-TV reports the frozen river and thick ice on Lake Michigan means boats operated by Wendella Cruises can't make the trip from their winter home on the Calumet River. Company president Michael Borgstrom said ice surrounding the boats is 20 inches thick. The company operates the water taxis that travels from a downtown train station to Michigan Avenue's shopping district, Chinatown and the north side. It also operates tour boats. The season had been set to start Friday, but has been delayed until April 4.
(MORE: Live, Expert Updates on Winter Storm Vulcan)
Indiana
Vulcan's heavy snowfall in northern Indiana has caused numerous power outages scattered across in the area. Major utilities report about 30,000 homes and businesses were without electricity late Wednesday morning throughout the state's northern tier from the Gary area across to Fort Wayne. Indiana Michigan Power says it has about 8,000 outages in Allen County, which includes Fort Wayne. Northern Indiana Public Service Co. has several thousand outages in northwestern Indiana's Lake and Porter counties, along with many in largely rural areas southeast of South Bend. The National Weather Service office says up to 6 inches of snow fell by late morning in some parts of northern Indiana. On Tuesday night, the Indy Star reported that Pike Township firefighters rescued two people who were stranded on melting ice on the reservoir at Eagle Creek Park on the Indianapolis Northwestside.Michigan
Snow has fallen across a wide swath of winter-weary southern Michigan, leaving as much as 9.3 inches on the ground and causing spin-outs and slide-off crashes as weather disrupted the morning commute and closed hundreds of schools. Snow was falling from the southwestern portion of the state up through the Thumb region, and Detroit and its suburbs experienced a mix of snow and sleet.The National Weather Service says the Oakland County community of Holly had 9.3 inches by Wednesday afternoon, while Mount Clemens in neighboring Macomb County had 8.9 inches.
(MORE: How Much of Your Snow Season Is Left?)
The weather service says 6.6 inches of snow fell at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, bringing the area within 3 inches of breaking a seasonal snowfall total of 93.6 inches set in 1880-1881. AAA Michigan has reportedly helped more than 900 drivers, mostly in southeastern Michigan, due to rear-end collisions, cars in ditches and other snow-related mishaps. Snow began tapering off by late-afternoon Wednesday.
New Hampshire/Maine
Vulcan, hitting Northern New England, could dump up to 2 feet of snow in parts of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Scores of schools are closed across Vermont as the state braces for what could be the biggest snowstorm of the season. Travel is expected to get treacherous with gusty winds that will produce near blizzard conditions Wednesday evening. Central and northern Vermont, western Maine and northern New Hampshire could get up to 2 feet of snow by Thursday. On the coast of Maine and New Hampshire the storm started as rain Wednesday morning, but will turn to snow later Wednesday into Thursday. Projections call for 2 to 4 inches of snow in Portsmouth, N.H., and 8 to 10 inches in Portland. Inland, there'll be heavier snow.New York
A winter that had already piled more than 100 inches of snow onto some upstate cities was hanging on with a vengeance Wednesday, delivering heavy snow, high winds and rumbles of thunder under a blizzard warning that reached 150 miles from western into central New York. One day after temperatures reached spring-like 50s, hundreds of schools, colleges and government offices were shut down and travel advisories were in effect across several western counties. The New York State Thruway banned tandem tractor-trailers from the Albany area to the Pennsylvania border south of Buffalo amid slick roads and 20-30 mph winds that gusted to 45 mph. It was the first time in memory that Buffalo experienced two blizzards, defined by sustained high winds and reduced visibility, in a single season, meteorologists said. The last blizzard was in January.Between 10 and 24 inches of snow was expected in some areas from the eastern end of Lake Erie to the Adirondacks, with the highest totals forecast for counties bordering the southern shore of Lake Ontario.
"It was great yesterday. I washed my car!" said post office custodian Ed Szymanski, snow hitting his eyeglasses and melting into droplets as he shoveled outside a Buffalo post office Wednesday. He guessed he'd be out three or more times before the end of the day.
"I'm ready for nice weather," he said, echoing the sentiments of many who were out and about in it.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency for much of upstate, authorizing the use of state equipment where needed.
(MORE: The Snowiest Cities of Winter 2013-14)
Ohio
A big dose of heavy, blowing snow is hit much of northern Ohio, and multiple large accidents occurred Wednesday afternoon on Ohio roads.Pileups on the Ohio Turnpike involving at least 50 vehicles killed three people and seriously injured a state trooper on Wednesday. Pileups stretched across a 2-mile section in the eastbound lanes of the turnpike between Toledo and Cleveland. Another series of pileups about 10 miles to the east shut down the turnpike's westbound lanes near Sandusky. One vehicle lane opened about four hours after the first accident.At least seven counties in the northwestern part of the state around Toledo have told drivers to stay off the roads unless they are emergency or essential personnel. The storm had dumped about a half-foot of snow on Toledo by mid-day Wednesday, with much of the city including the University of Toledo shut down. A winter storm warning is in effect for much of northern Ohio where 4 to 8 inches of snow are expected along with high winds. In Cleveland, police shut down a major downtown intersection because a flagpole was leaning dangerously over the street. FirstEnergy Corp. reports close to 30,000 customers without power, mostly in northeast Ohio.
Pennsylvania
A frigid, snowy winter is set to make a curtain call — at least in western Pennsylvania — where rain is forecast to turn to snow as winds drive wind chills below zero when cold arctic air collides with moisture arriving from the southwest. The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh has issued a winter weather advisory for the western third of the state. The northwestern corner of the state, including Erie and Bradford, could receive 6 to 10 inches of snow and is under a winter storm warning. Temperatures which were in the 40s early Wednesday could drop into the single digits by Thursday morning.(WATCH: Ice Canyons Are Luring Climbers)
Vermont
All flights are canceled at the Burlington International Airport due to the snowstorm that is forecast to drop up to 2 feet of snow in some areas of Vermont. The storm, which started Wednesday morning, is making roads slick. A tractor trailer truck slid into a home in Proctor Wednesday morning and two other tractor trailers went off the road on interstates 89 and 91. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for all of Vermont through 8 p.m. Thursday. Officials at the Burlington International Airport say the airport remains open and flights are expected to resume Thursday morning between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.
Anthony Avery pushes grocery carts during a snow storm in Roseville, Mich., Wednesday, March 12, 2014. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
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