Winter Storm Stella: All Schools Closed in Boston, Philadelphia and New York on March 14; Blizzard Warning Raised in Several States
A life-threatening storm with wind gusts of up to 55 miles per hour (mph) is lashing northeastern United States Tuesday, leading to the cancellation of flights and closure of schools. As early as Monday, the National Weather Service already issued blizzard warnings in several cities and advised individuals to stay off the roads.
The states that currently have blizzard warnings are Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Winter storm Stella is expected to dump up to 20 inches of snow on much of the northeast on Tuesday, particularly in New York, Philadelphia and Boston.
Before the storm hits most of the area, officials of the National Weather Service said the storm could even become a "bombogenesis," which means that it could become a weather bomb that starts as a low-pressure storm then suddenly intensifies.
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Starting Tuesday 5 a.m. EDT, Boston is expected to see around 12 to 18 inches of snow. A blizzard watch is also in effect in the entire area, and this warning will remain throughout Tuesday.
In Philadelphia, the National Weather Service expects 12 to 16 inches of snowfall starting Monday and ending Tuesday afternoon. The heaviest snowfall in Philadelphia will occur between 3 to 11 a.m. EDT on Tuesday. The National Weather Service near Philadelphia also warned the public to "shelter in place," as coastal flood warnings are already in place from Massachusetts to Delaware.
Meanwhile, Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency for New York, where 20 to 24 inches of snow could be dumped by Stella. Officials also warned on Monday whiteout conditions and low visibility throughout the city.
As of Monday night, around 5,000 flights were already canceled and most railways were already shut down. The above-ground parts of New York City's subway system were also shut down.
All schools in New York, Philadelphia and Boston will be closed on Tuesday.
