Millions on US East Coast prepare for 2nd major storm

By Safvan Allahverdi

WASHINGTON (AA) - Millions of residents on the U.S. East Coast are bracing for the second winter storm in a week after a deadly nor’easter killed at least nine people and left hundreds of thousands without power Friday.

"Another winter storm is set to impact the East Coast beginning tomorrow. Take the time right now to check the forecast from your local (meteorological) office and think about how you'll prepare for adverse winter weather conditions, the National Weather Service said late Tuesday on its official Twitter page.

While winds are not expected to be as strong as those from the most recent storm, the coming storm is forecast to be more of a classic nor'easter -- a storm made up of winds from the northeast that is usually accompanied by heavy rain or snow and coastal flooding.

Wet, heavy snow and strong winds are expected Wednesday through Friday in major metropolitan areas.

The storm is expected to slam New York, Boston, Pennsylvania, Maine, Washington, D.C. and Virginia, threatening more than 50 million people with 6 to 12 inches of snow, with as much as 18 inches toward New Hampshire and Maine.

Parts of the Northeast can also expect renewed power outages and widespread travel disruptions as impacts from the second nor'easter expand, according to weather reports.

Last Friday’s storm left more than a million people without power and at least nine dead.

More than 440,000 of those affected were in Massachusetts, while Virginia had 300,000 people without power and the Washington, D.C. area had over 154,000.

Boston, the capital and most populous city of the state of Massachusetts, was hit the hardest.

Train services between Boston and New York have been suspended and offices of the federal government and schools were closed in Washington, D.C.

More than 5,500 flights were cancelled in the U.S., according to the most recent information from data services firm FlightAware.

The company said there were more than 17,000 delays.