Some parts of northern New England were expecting up to 10 inches of snow. A windy, potentially icy storm was headed to the region and could soak some parts of the area's six states while piling snow in others, forecasters said.
The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories in states including Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Connecticut and New York ahead of the snow's arrival. By Tuesday morning, snow was falling steadily around the region.
The winter weather arrived days after more than 8 inches of snow fell at Chicago O’Hare International Airport over the weekend, setting a record for the highest single calendar day snowfall in November at the airport, according to the weather service. The previous record was set in 1951.
Snow in the Great Lakes region was tapering off, but the new storm was heading to the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, with up to a foot of snow by Tuesday, said National Weather Service meteorologist Andrew Orrison.
“It’s going to be the first snowfall of the season for many of these areas, and it’s going to be rather significant,” Orrison said.
Meteorological winter, covering December through February, is used by climate scientists for consistent recordkeeping and differs from the astronomical seasons found on most calendars.
Winter weather arrives in the Northeast
The National Weather Service issued a warning for coastal Maine from Tuesday morning until Wednesday morning, stating that residents “should delay all travel if possible” due to snow. The state is one of many that is in for its first wallop of snow of December, forecasters said.
Schools and government offices closed around the Northeast, with officials citing potentially dangerous road conditions. Dozens of schools around upstate New York cancelled classes with six or more inches forecast in some eastern part of the state. Snow began falling before dawn, making roads slippery during the morning commute.
In New Hampshire, the Department of Transportation on Sunday invited residents to submit names for its second annual name-a-plow competition.
“Welcome to The Department of the Seven Snowplows, our winter twist on a classic tale. Hawthorne had gables. We have orange snowplows just waiting for the perfect name,” the department said on social media.
