Fall Storm: October Nor'easter Blamed for at Least Three Deaths
A strong storm system moving up the East Coast has already dumped more than two feet of snow in some parts of New England today, leaving more than 2 million homes and businesses without power and causing at least three deaths.
The storm dumped record amounts of snow from New Jersey through New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. The governors of New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts all declared states of emergency.
An 84-year-old man in Pennsylvania died this afternoon when a tree weighed down by snow fell on his home.
In Colchester, Conn., one person died in a traffic accident blamed on the snow, Gov. Dannel Malloy said.
A 20-year-old man in Springfield, Mass., was electrocuted by a downed power line he stepped on after getting out of his car.
Parts of the Berkshires in western Massachusetts had more than two feet of snow by this evening, with total accumulation expected to pile up more than 30 inches.
Newark-Liberty Airport had 3.8 inches by this evening, surpassing the previous high total for an October day of 0.3 inches on Oct. 20, 1952.
While coastal areas were soaked with frigid mixes of rain and snow, inland areas snow pile up as though it were midwinter.
By early evening, West Milford, N.J., saw 15.5 inches; Bristol, Conn., had 11 inches; and Plainfield, Mass., had 14.3 inches.
Parts of West Virginia also reported as much as three or four inches of snow accumulation.
"Kind of unbelievable that we've already gotten snow this year," Berkley, W.Va. resident Tyler Easterday said.
A state of emergency was declared in New Jersey, where Gov. Chris Christie said the heavy snow left approximately 600,000 homes and businesses without power.
"We expect the number is going to continue to go up before it goes back down," Christie said. "The problem is that there are trees just down everywhere because of the snow, the wet, heavy snow."
Approximately 125,000 customers were without power in Pennsylvania this evening, according to First Energy spokesman Scott Surgeoner said.
"We have about six to eight inches where I live right now and it's the first time I can remember an October snow storm," he said. "Normally when you do get into winter, the leaves have left the trees or they're shed by the trees, that's not the case this time and that's what's causing most of our problems, if not all our problems."
There were more than 265,000 customers without power in New York State, more than 530,00 without power in Connecticut, more than 367,000 in the dark in Pennsylvania, more than 226,000 in Massachusetts and 61,000 in New Hampshire.
In Brookline, Mass., the inclement weather was too much for some high school students in a soccer game. Police Sgt. Bobby Murphy said five of the players were taken to a hospital, suffering from hypothermia.
The rare October Nor'easter hit at least 10 states from North Carolina to Maine.
Flights Delays and Power Out
The winter-like weather created delays for air transportation throughout the northeast.
Newark International Airport in New Jersey reported an average of six-hour delays late today and Philadelphia International Airport travelers could expect delays of up to three hours.
ABC News' Max Golembo, ABC News Radio and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
 |
| People walk through the snow in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan on October 29, 2011 in New York City. |
The storm dumped record amounts of snow from New Jersey through New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. The governors of New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts all declared states of emergency.
An 84-year-old man in Pennsylvania died this afternoon when a tree weighed down by snow fell on his home.
In Colchester, Conn., one person died in a traffic accident blamed on the snow, Gov. Dannel Malloy said.
A 20-year-old man in Springfield, Mass., was electrocuted by a downed power line he stepped on after getting out of his car.
Parts of the Berkshires in western Massachusetts had more than two feet of snow by this evening, with total accumulation expected to pile up more than 30 inches.
Newark-Liberty Airport had 3.8 inches by this evening, surpassing the previous high total for an October day of 0.3 inches on Oct. 20, 1952.
While coastal areas were soaked with frigid mixes of rain and snow, inland areas snow pile up as though it were midwinter.
By early evening, West Milford, N.J., saw 15.5 inches; Bristol, Conn., had 11 inches; and Plainfield, Mass., had 14.3 inches.
Parts of West Virginia also reported as much as three or four inches of snow accumulation.
"Kind of unbelievable that we've already gotten snow this year," Berkley, W.Va. resident Tyler Easterday said.
A state of emergency was declared in New Jersey, where Gov. Chris Christie said the heavy snow left approximately 600,000 homes and businesses without power.
"We expect the number is going to continue to go up before it goes back down," Christie said. "The problem is that there are trees just down everywhere because of the snow, the wet, heavy snow."
Approximately 125,000 customers were without power in Pennsylvania this evening, according to First Energy spokesman Scott Surgeoner said.
"We have about six to eight inches where I live right now and it's the first time I can remember an October snow storm," he said. "Normally when you do get into winter, the leaves have left the trees or they're shed by the trees, that's not the case this time and that's what's causing most of our problems, if not all our problems."
There were more than 265,000 customers without power in New York State, more than 530,00 without power in Connecticut, more than 367,000 in the dark in Pennsylvania, more than 226,000 in Massachusetts and 61,000 in New Hampshire.
In Brookline, Mass., the inclement weather was too much for some high school students in a soccer game. Police Sgt. Bobby Murphy said five of the players were taken to a hospital, suffering from hypothermia.
The rare October Nor'easter hit at least 10 states from North Carolina to Maine.
Flights Delays and Power Out
The winter-like weather created delays for air transportation throughout the northeast.
Newark International Airport in New Jersey reported an average of six-hour delays late today and Philadelphia International Airport travelers could expect delays of up to three hours.
ABC News' Max Golembo, ABC News Radio and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
