Major storm hits Northeast, more than foot of snow forecast

February 1, 2021 Associated Press

Pedestrians make their way through heavy snow and wind in Hoboken, N.J., Monday, Feb. 1, 2021. AP Photo/Seth Wenig

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Instead of closing schools and giving students snow days, the latest winter storm is shutting down vaccination sites and snarling other pandemic-related services in many states that could see as much as a foot of snow by Monday evening.

Lara Pagano, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said a nor’easter developing off the mid-Atlantic coast will be a “pretty slow mover” as it brings heavy snow and strong winds through Tuesday.

“It’s going to be a prolonged event,” Pagano said.

As of Monday morning, some areas had already gotten 3 to 5 inches (7.6 to 12.7 centimeters) of snow, with 6 inches (15.2 centimeters) in parts of Pennsylvania, she said. In parts of New Jersey, 7 inches (17.8 centimeters) already was reported as of Monday morning.

In-person learning was canceled in school districts across the Northeast on Monday, and many COVID-19 vaccination sites were closed. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said city-run vaccination sites would be closed Tuesday as well but he hopes they can reopen Wednesday.

A Times Square Alliance worker clears sidewalks of snow in Times Square, Monday, Feb. 1, 2021, in the Manhattan borough of New York. AP Photo/John Minchillo

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said most vaccinations scheduled for Monday were being postponed, but he wasn’t concerned that any vaccine might go to waste.

“The vaccines, kept refrigerated, are good for eight to 10 days, so that’s not a problem,” Lamont said. “And if this is three or four weeks since your first vaccination, if it gets put off a few days, don’t worry, it will still stay very effective.”

The storm delayed the opening of the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood, which was supposed to open Monday as a mass vaccination site for residents age 75 and over. Mass vaccination sites at Gillette Stadium and Fenway Park were open but with some changes, according to CIC Health, which is operating both sites.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency on Sunday and closed all state government offices for nonessential personnel.

Hundreds of flights were canceled at the region’s major airports on Monday. Transportation officials said on Twitter that 81% of flights were canceled at New York’s LaGuardia Airport and 75% at Newark Liberty Airport.

Amtrak canceled all Acela service between Boston and Washington and Pennsylvanian service between New York and Pittsburgh. Amtrak’s Northeast Regional, Keystone Service and Empire Service were operating on limited or modified schedules.

All New Jersey Transit trains and buses were suspended, except for the Atlantic City Rail Line. New York Waterway ferries were suspended.

In recent days, a storm system blanketed parts of the Midwest, with some areas getting the most snow in several years. Ohio, Washington, D.C., and parts of Virginia also received snow.

Snow and cold in Washington led President Joe Biden to postpone a visit to the State Department that had been planned for Monday. A White House official said Sunday night that the visit would be rescheduled for later in the week when the agency’s staff and diplomats could more safely commute to attend.