© John Minchillo/APA Times Square Alliance worker clears sidewalks of snow in Times Square, Monday, Feb. 1, 2021, in the Manhattan borough of New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
A deadly winter storm is lingering in the Northeast a day after walloping parts of that region and mid-Atlantic states, shutting down Covid-19 vaccination sites and leaving some areas blanketed in feet of snow.
Snowfall on Tuesday is expected to be heaviest across parts of upstate New York -- with up to 8 inches falling in some areas, including Ithaca and Plattsburgh -- and in northern New England, where an additional 6-12 inches are expected.
Elsewhere in the Northeast, people are digging out of heavy snow -- including more than 2 feet in parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey -- that fell Monday and closed or snarled roads, airports and public transit systems.
The storm directly led to the death of at least one person, authorities said. Patricia Becker, a 67-year-old with Alzheimer's disease, wandered from her home in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and was found dead of hypothermia. Her death was ruled an accident, Lehigh County Coroner Eric D. Minnich said in a statement.
© Andrew Kelly/ReutersA person shovels snow in New York City's Greenwich Village neighborhood on Monday.
Three other people died in a homicide-suicide following a dispute over snow shoveling Monday in Plains, Pennsylvania, police said.
Among the highest snowfall totals reported so far were 33.2 inches in Montague, New Jersey, and 31.2 inches in Springtown, Pennsylvania, according to the National Weather Service.
New York's Central Park saw more than 17 inches of snow by early Tuesday -- placing the storm in the top 20 snowstorms in the city's recorded history.
The city's public schools were conducting only online classes, keeping students at home as crews worked to clear roads and motorists tried to dig out the cars they'd parked on the sides of streets.
In Manhattan's Washington Heights neighborhood, Jose Battiste was furiously trying to shovel out his car Monday night, hoping to drive to his hospital job Tuesday morning. "Maybe an hour and a half more to finish shoveling the snow," he told CNN afifliate WCBS.
© Stamford Fire DepartmentFirefighters found the vehicle floating about 40 feet from the shore.
In Allentown, Pat Deginto was shoveling her sidewalk for a third time. "I'm thinking next year I'm moving to Florida," Deginto, 71, told CNN affiliate WPVI.
It's not just the heavy snow and blizzard-like conditions worrying officials: Coastal flood alerts -- including watches, warnings and advisories -- from Maine to southern Delaware, are in effect for more than 16 million people.
The New York governor's office warned that neighborhoods along the coast could experience "multiple rounds of flooding, especially during high tides."
Minor to moderate flooding was reported across the region's coast early Tuesday, enough to flood out basements, roads and cause minor structural damage, according to CNN meteorologist Michael Guy. Water levels were about 2-4 feet above normal, Guy said.
"This type of flooding is extremely dangerous and can be deadly," said Guy.
More than a foot of snow covered parts of Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont.
Some vaccination sites remain closed Tuesday
Vaccination sites across New York were closed Monday due to the storm, and at least five state-run vaccine sites in the state were to be closed Tuesday, the governor said.
"For the safety of both workers and individuals scheduled to receive a vaccination, we will be postponing appointments for tomorrow at several vaccination sites that are being impacted by this storm," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. "To be clear -- no one is losing an appointment -- they will all be rescheduled when conditions are safer."
In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy announced state offices and the state's six vaccine mega-sites will remain closed Tuesday as a result of weather conditions.
"I urge all of our residents to follow weather-related guidance and stay off the roads in order to allow access for essential workers and emergency personnel," Murphy said.
In Pennsylvania, where Gov. Tom Wolf signed a disaster emergency proclamation in response to the storm, officials said Monday they were worried about how the conditions would affect vaccinations.
"Throughout the storm, (the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency) is working with our state and county partners to make sure we have a clear understanding of the storm and how it is affecting different parts of the state," said PEMA Director Randy Padfield.
"We are particularly concerned with shipment and delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, so we appreciate citizens who are taking this storm seriously and staying off the roads because fewer vehicles means fewer incidents that could delay those operations," Padfield said in a statement.
Dangerous travel conditions across the region
As the storm pummeled Connecticut on Monday, Stamford authorities said they rescued two people from a pickup truck that was hit by high winds, snow and a strong tide that caused the vehicle to fill with water.
On Monday afternoon, firefighters found the truck partially submerged and floating 40 feet away from the shore, the Stamford Fire Department said. A female was standing on one side of the vehicle shouting that a man was trapped inside, the department said.
Firefighters swam to the vehicle and were able to get the female out with the help of an aerial ladder, while they worked to rescue the man as the truck quickly became entirely submerged by water," the department said in a news release.
"One firefighter maintained a physical hold on the man's arm and was able to pull him through the small window after the truck was completely under water," the department said. "Once he was free, firefighters placed the man into the tower ladder and both occupants were brought to shore."
The man was later transported to the hospital, authorities said.
In New Jersey, state police reported Monday night they had responded to more than 660 motor vehicle crashes and more than 1,000 motorist aids in about a day. "Motorist aids can be anything from flat tires, mechanical breakdowns, spin outs, etc," state police said. "We urge residents to remain off of the roads."