Less than a week after a powerful nor'easter slammed the East Coast, another winter storm is pounding the region with wet, heavy snow and strong winds.
On Wednesday, the storm battered the Northeast with up to two feet of snow and produced damaging lightning strikes —so-called "thundersnow" — and it's not over yet.
The nor'easter prompted forecasters to issue a winter storm warning that stretched from eastern Pennsylvania to northern Maine until Thursday morning.
The combination of heavy snow and winds knocked out power to more than 700,000 people across the Northeast, where utilities were still scrambling to restore electricity after last week's powerful storm.
Some of the highest snowfall totals recorded so far include 26 inches in Sloatsburg, New York, and 24 inches in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.
Snowfall reports received between 630 and 830 pm. As of 845 pm bands of heavy snow have moved east of the Hudson River and will continue to move across LI and into southern and central New England during the next few hours. Rain is changing to snow across southeastern MA and RI. https://t.co/lAVDr8cC1a
As of Wednesday night, New York City had received 2.5 inches of snow, while Philadelphia picked up 6 inches.
The forecasts have been on the move. While New Yorkers woke up to rain, for example, it transitioned to heavy snow by the afternoon.
Guys, look, I get it. You look out the window and you think, bust. I'm telling you guys, by 8 PM, conditions are going to be a lot different. I wouldn't say so if I didn't think this is a dangerous situation.
And in some places, snow is coming with a side of thunder. Thundersnow was reported Wednesday afternoon in New Jersey and New York.
And it begins. A bunch of thundersnows just now in Lower Manhattan, Governors Island, and Brooklyn. #nbcct
Much of the intense snowfall has occurred with the thunderstorms. Parts of eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, for example, received between 2 and 3 inches of snow in just an hour.
Here it is! Our #thundersnow experience in #NYC’s Central Park caught on camera! 💯✔️ @weatherchannel @wunderground @WunderCave @CentralParkNYC @NotifyNYC @JimCantore @StephanieAbrams https://t.co/fE1ZOteizh
There's also been at least two dangerous lightning strikes. A house was struck by lightning and caught on fire in Ship Bottom, New Jersey, at 2:30 pm, according to the National Weather Service. Soon after, at 2:35 pm, a teacher was struck by lightning at a middle school in Manchester, New Jersey, and was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries, according to the Associated Press.
As the brunt of the storm reaches Boston on Wednesday night, it's leaving a series of downed trees and power lines in its wake.
Already down trees in southern #CT. Unfortunately this will be the trend later this evening and overnight across the remainder of CT into #RI and much of northern #MA from heavy wet #snow. Risk of power outages as well. #winter https://t.co/0Uywdgm6qx
There's still a lot of uncertainty about exactly how much snow will fall in Boston and Providence. There's a tight and shifting "rain/snow line," meaning one location could see several inches of snow while another just 10 miles away receives rain.
Keep in mind accumulating snow near coast may not start until 7-9 pm, since temperatures should stay above 34 degrees. It's mostly rain near Cape/Islands. https://t.co/uMLSQqT2qd
In Boston and up the coast into Maine, there’s also a risk of coastal flooding. Forecasters say wind gusts, possibly up to 60 miles per hour, could coincide with high tides, pushing water inland.
[STRONG, DAMAGING WINDS] Potent storm but not as long duration as last; nevertheless, 30-60 mph E wind gusts; along w/ heavy, wet snow, definite threat of downed limbs, trees, powerlines; along the coast w/ wave, surf action, minor-moderate coastal flooding, beach erosion https://t.co/6q8m2jReO9
The new flood warnings come just a week after ocean waters inundated the streets of Boston, and other parts of the Massachusetts shore, for the second time this winter.
Intense #flooding on Long Wharf and Atlantic Avenue, sandbags around a closed Aquarium Station, and cars stranded. Waters should go down as the tide goes out, but more expected before midnight. For more updates on the #noreaster #boston follow @BostonHarborNow and @jvhorwood. https://t.co/HmXfDAnSlI
“There could be flood potential,” meteorologist Mike Musher, of the Weather Prediction Center, told BuzzFeed News, “but nothing as extreme as last week. It could exacerbate the situation there.”
Nearly 2,000 flights coming in and out of New York-area airports were cancelled Wednesday.
Over 50% of scheduled flights have been cancelled at both @EWRairport and @LGAairport. In total, 1,856 flights have been cancelled to/from New York area airports today (EWR, LGA and JFK).
Storm-related power problems led to significant train delays in the Northeast, too.
.@Amtrak Due to power issues, all westbound Amtrak and New Jersey Transit trains are being held in Penn Station. There is a hold on all Northeast Corridor Service between NY and Trenton. Multilingual & ASL Link: https://t.co/P1LuWKHDld.
UPDATE
This story has been updated with new information about the storm's development and impacts.