It’s the start of spring, but the East Coast apparently didn’t get the memo — it's getting slammed by the fourth winter storm in a month.
Spring begins in less than three hours! ...and we have winter weather warnings all over the east coast. Nature cares not for our arbitrary dates. #firstdayofspring https://t.co/Z9huOQNxeS
Getting snow "this late in March — it’s an anomaly," Frank Pereira, meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center, told BuzzFeed News.
The two-part nor’easter brought light snow on Tuesday to the Mid-Atlantic, including parts of Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
Wednesday's second, heavier round of snow is now blanketing the region, starting southwest and moving to the northeast.
Powerful SNOW STORM as seen from your #GOESEast satellite this morning. Over a foot of heavy snow is expected across a large portion of the east coast. https://t.co/VyWINDk3xP ❄️❄️❄️❄️ https://t.co/vYtZM8TovT
"The biggest impact of this storm right now is obviously the heavy snow," Pereira said.
Washington, DC, and Baltimore could get between 4 to 8 inches by the storm’s end.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia is on track to get 10 to 12 inches of snow, and New York City could get more than a foot. Boston is forecast to get between 6 and 8 inches.
Latest snowfall forecast for the storm. Snow, heavy at times, continues this afternoon then tapers off later this evening into the overnight. #PAWX #NJWX #MDWX #DEWX https://t.co/x61t7S4hb7
Beyond snow, parts of the coast could see sustained winds between 25 and 35 miles per hour. There could also be gusts up to 65 miles per hour.
And there are widespread coastal flood warnings in effect, from Delaware up to New York’s Long Island.
Meanwhile, further north in places like Boston coastal flood advisories are in effect. Some of the previous storms this year have brought damaging floods there and to other parts of New England.
More than 3,000 US flights, many departing or arriving on the East Coast, were canceled Wednesday, according to FlightAware.
#Noreaster4 Update: 3,690 flights now cancelled to/from within US. @EWRairport and @LGAairport are most impacted as of now (over 800 cancellations each). Live cancellation/delay info available here: https://t.co/cdxPRg7G48 https://t.co/NrxoYFVhUc
There have also been many train delays and cancelations along the East Coast, according to Amtrak.
SERVICE ALERT: Due to impending severe weather in the Northeast region, we will be operating modified service on Wed. 3/21. Full service will be restored when weather conditions allow us to safely do so. Service and re-accommodation details are outlined below. https://t.co/RncTFtry7O
Many East Coast cities canceled schools on Wednesday, including New York City.
REMINDER: @NYCSchools are closed today, March 21st.
This isn’t the first time four snowstorms have struck the region in such a short timespan. It also happened between December 1986 and January 1987, according to the National Weather Service.
A known occurrence of four nor'easters in four weeks for the northeastern United States
UPDATE
This story has been updated with new information about the storm and its impacts.