Transcript for Deadly winter storm blasts the Northeast with snow and ice as the Midwest digs out
Good morning, everybody. Let’s get to our top story this morning, the winter storm hitting the northeast right now bringing a noxious cocktail of snow, sleet and rain. As well as coastal flooding. Take a look at this live shot out of a snowy Syracuse, new York overnight. The roads were sloppy and treacherous with many cars trying and failing to stop. Meanwhile, here’s a look at the roads in Pittsburgh, and this storm is not only causing problems on the ground. We’re looking at more than 1,200 canceled flights today. And the trouble is not over. On the heels of this storm which also dumped 15 inches of snow in the midwest and caused three tornadoes in the south, we’re looking at a major blast of cold air, and meteorologists calling it a flash freeze. We have team coverage this morning. Sam champion is in for rob, but first, let’s go to ABC’s Stephanie Ramos in Albany where that snow is already piling up. Stephanie, good morning. Reporter: Hey, guys. Good morning. Here in Albany, we’re getting a mix of sleet and snow right now, but overnight at least half an foot fell overnight. It’s not over. Another four to six inches on the way. This powerful storm is in the northeast, but it left behind major damage. This morning, a fierce winter storm hitting the northeast as millions prepare for the arctic blast that will grip parts of the country. Overnight, heavy snow coming down in New York. Plows at work in Syracuse where more than a foot of snow is expected. It’s coming down in parts of Massachusetts too. This SUV rolling over on the cape, and in Ohio, whiteout conditions, major highways turned into skating Rinks in Dayton as icy roads cause cars to careen out of control off the highway. This driver, stuck in a snow drift on the side of the road. Tires losing traction on the treacherous streets. Drivers forced to push their cars through the thick snow. The heavy winds whipping power lines, leaving 13,000 customers in the dark. The storm crippling those on the ground and in the skies. At Chicago o’hare airport, passengers forced to evacuate this united airlines plane that slid off the snow-covered runway Saturday. Meanwhile, severe weather also hitting the south. In Alabama, a reported tornado causing a path of destruction, ripping trees from the ground and reducing homes to piles of splintered wood. This is just — just that quick and it was everything. You would look up and everything is gone. Reporter: A church roof getting ripped off, but despite the chaotic scene, there are no reported injuries. Major blast of cold air is moving into the northeast, leading into a dangerous freeze. And guys, it is cold now, but tomorrow the windchill is expected to go down to negative 30, turning all of the snow into ice. Guys? Stephanie, thank you. I want to pick up on that point exactly as we have been saying. When the storm moves out, a big blast of arctic air will be moving in. Sam champion tracking it all from central park right here in New York City. Sam, good morning to you. And good morning, Dan. And the folks that are waking up this morning with a little bit of rain are going to feel pretty fortunate compared to the snowy and icy pictures we have been showing you. Don’t feel good about it yet because everything you see around me and behind me that’s water will freeze overnight as these temperatures dip into the single digits and the windchills get below zero. We’ll show you everything that’s happening right now, dropping snow in the rockies to the snow that’s falling in Maine, and the strong severe storms that have been down in the deep south. Alabama, the worst tornado damage. All of that rain is now off the shoreline in the south, but look at this mess we still have into new England. That pink is a real problem today. All the way into Hartford into western New York state. Some of this will two all the way into Albany. Here are the watches and warnings out with this storm and will be for most of the day as this storm continues to pull into the northeast. Now I want to highlight an area for you as we move that low right through the region. Look at this flash freeze. Look at Scranton, 13. New York is 31 degrees. That’s at 7:00 P.M. By the time we get to midnight and 4:00 A.M., Washington, D.C., black ice just about everywhere. The overnight tonight into tomorrow morning, complicated by that flash freeze. Back to the studio. All right. Thanks, Sam.
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