East coast digs out from major winter storm

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Powerful winter storm hits East Coast

A powerful Nor'easter storm barreled through the East Coast on Wednesday and Thursday, dumping upwards of 2 feet of snow in some areas.

Much of the East Coast was digging out from a major winter storm that dumped more than 3 feet of snow in some areas.

The Nor'easter brought snow from northern Virginia to parts of New England on Wednesday. It carried on north into the evening. Snow continued to fall in many parts of the Northeast on Thursday morning.

Power outages were recorded in some areas. Early Thursday, Just over 28,000 customers in Virginia were without power, according to the website poweroutage.us, but by nightfall only a few thousand customers on the entire East Coast were still waiting for the lights to come back on.

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE UPDATES ON THE STORM 

A traffic jam is caused by vehicles stuck on a hill during a snowstorm, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020, in Towson, Md. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) (AP)

Some 40 inches of snow were recorded in Litchfield, Pa., and 38 inches and 33.8 inches were recorded in Apalachin, N.Y., and Binghamton, N.Y., respectively.

In Binghamton, N.Y., the massive inflated dome top of the Greater Binghamton Sports Complex, billed as the largest air-supported dome in the U.S., collapsed under the weight of snow, according to WBNG anchor Kaitlin Pearson.

Google Maps imagery shows the Greater Binghamton Sports Complex before snowfall squashed it Thursday. (Google Maps)

At 12:05 a.m. EST on Thursday, 6.5 inches of sleet and snow were recorded in Central Park in New York City, according to the National Weather Service New York.

"This winter storm is greater than the total snow for the 2019-2020 winter season of 4.8'," it tweeted.

Snow plows and salt spreaders took to the streets of New York City.

POWERFUL WINTER WEATHER BRINGS HEAVY SNOW, STRONG WINDS

On Thursday morning New York City's Department of Sanitation urged drivers to stay off the roads if possible. 

"This storm is not done with us yet, NYC!," it tweeted. "Our salt spreaders and snow plows have been working since yesterday, and will continue to work today. We are making progress, but the snow and winds continue."

City officials and FDNY sources said there was also a 20-vehicle pileup in New York City.

Officials in parts of upstate New York are urging residents to avoid travel Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, Mayor Bill de Blasio made a disheartening statement to students in the Big Apple -- an end to traditional snow days due to the profileration of virtual learning.

A boy plays on a mound of snow in front of the skyline of New York City in West New York, N.J., Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020. The first major snowstorm of the season left the Northeast blanketed in snow, setting records in some areas. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

MAJOR NORTHEAST SNOWSTORM HITS; LEADS TO PENNSYLVANIA, NYC CAR PILEUPS, 2 DEATHS

In Albany, which has been hit with more than a foot of snow, Mayor Kathy Sheehan declared a state of emergency and closed all city buildings to the public until at least noon as the "rapid increase in snowfall over the last several hours has made travel especially difficult."

Farther west, in the Binghamton area, Broome County Executive Jason Garnar issued a travel ban for all local and county roads as "potentially life threatening travel conditions exist."

"Residents should NOT travel in the affected areas," he warned. "Essential personnel such as Emergency Services and Hospital employees are permitted to go to and from their workplace."

In central Pennsylvania, a major pileup left at least two people dead, according to Pennsylvania State Police. The multi-vehicle crash involved 30 to 60 vehicles and caused multiple injuries, state police said.

"Williamsport Regional Airport made history," the National Weather Service in State College also said, reporting 24.7 inches of snow. Forecasters said that was the most snow from a single storm on record, breaking the previous record of 24.1 inches set there in January 1964.

Much of Pennsylvania's western and central regions saw accumulations in the double digits.

Boston reported a record 9.1 inches falling since midnight on Wednesday, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Norton, Massachusetts, said.

"That is the new record right now, and it will probably be more before it’s done," Bryce Williams said. The previous record for snow fall on Dec. 17 was recorded in 2013 when 6.4 inches fell in Boston.

High elevations in the Berkshires saw the most snow, more than 1 foot, in Massachusetts. Moderate to heavy snowfall is forecast through Thursday afternoon, with another 3 to 4 inches accumulating before slowly tapering off.

In New Hampshire, there were at least 50 crashes and disabled vehicles due to poor road conditions as of Thursday morning. Officials did not say if there were any major injuries or deaths.

Fox News’ Janice Dean, Julia Musto, Michael Ruiz and The Associated Press contributed to this article.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers