WELL, SPRING HAS SPRUNG, BUT SOMEBODY FORGOT TO TELL MOTHER NATURE!
HELLO, EVERYBODY. I’M RICK JACKSON. THANKS FOR JOINING US!
WINTER WENT OUT LIKE A ROARING LION, AS A RARE MARCH NOR'EASTER CAPPED OFF THE SEASON’S LAST DAYS.
A NOR'EASTER IS A STORM THAT FORMS ALONG THE EAST COAST, AS WARM AIR FROM ABOVE THE ATLANTIC OCEAN CLASHES WITH ARCTIC COLD FROM THE NORTH AND THE WEST. THEY MAINLY AFFECT THE NORTHEASTERN PART OF THE UNITED STATES. AND THIS FROSTY FINALE ROARED UP THE COAST BRINGING SNOW, SLEET, RAIN AND WIND GUSTS TO SEVERAL EAST COAST STATES. KRISTEN HOLMES REPORTED FROM THE HEART OF LAST WEEK’S STORM.
WITH, OFFICIALLY, JUST ONE WEEK LEFT IN THE SEASON, WINTER IS MAKING A DRAMATIC EXIT.
Mother Nature and Old Man Winter, they get together and look what happens.
WITH SNOW, ICE, AND BONE-CHILLINGLY COLD CONDITIONS FROM VIRGINIA TO MAINE. THE NATION'S CAPITAL AND NEARLY EVERY STATE IN BETWEEN. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT AND A WHOLE LOT OF FUN FOR SOME BUT THIS IS A MONSTER STORM, EVEN WHEN SEEN FROM SPACE. AT ONE POINT, ABOUT 18-MILLION PEOPLE WERE UNDER BLIZZARD WARNINGS BUT THE STORM'S PATH TURNED OVERNIGHT, BLANKETING PARTS OF PENNSYLVANIA AND CHANGING THE FORECAST FOR CITIES LIKE WASHINGTON AND NEW YORK.
Mayor Bill DeBlasio / New York: Numbers that were projected, they got to the north and west of us. Not here thank God. We were spared the worst of it.
SCHOOL DAYS, REGIONAL TRAIN SERVICE, AND THOUSANDS OF FLIGHTS HAVE BEEN CANCELED SO FAR. AND WHILE PLENTY OF PEOPLE MADE SUPPLY RUNS OVER NIGHT, AS SLEET FALLS OVER THE SNOW IN MANY PLACES, AUTHORITIES ARE ASKING PEOPLE TO STAY OFF THE ROAD.
Steve Bellone / Suffolk County, NY Commissioner: Very slick. Very icy and it's dangerous for motorists.
TOP OF MIND FOR OFFICIALS IN STATES LIKE NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, CONNECTICUT AND MASSACHUSETTS,
Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. / County Executive, Essex, New Jersey: Our concern right now is the sleet and the wind. It's going to be very cold tonight so the work is going to continue.
MAKING THE ALREADY HEAVY, ICY-SNOW MIX EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO CLEAR
Gov. Dan Malloy / -D- Connecticut: This is a heavy snow in the sense of the weight of it. We are advising people if they are cleaning their walkways or steps to do it a little at the time.
IN WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, I'M KRISTEN HOLMES.
THANKS, KRISTEN. AS YOU SAW, WINTER HIT THE EAST COAST PRETTY HARD LAST WEEK…BUT REMEMBER A FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN WE WERE ENJOYING AN UNSEASONABLY WARM FEBRUARY? JUST IMAGINE THAT FEBRUARY AND MARCH SWAPPED WEATHER – AS THE WARM TEMPERATURES AND MILD WEATHER WE ENJOYED BACK IN FEBRUARY, TURNED INTO A FREEZING WINTERY MIX IN MARCH! BUT MOTHER NATURE’S LITTLE SWITCHAROO IS WREAKING HAVOC ON PLANTS AND CROPS.
nats: "See that little black spot over there. That means the flower's dead."
AT BUTLER ORCHARDS NEAR WASHINGTON DC, ACRES OF BLUEBERRIES AND STRAWBERRIES WERE THROWN OFF, WHEN WHAT SEEMED TO BE AN EARLY SPRING BECAME A 'WINTER WHIPLASH': SEVEN DAYS IN THE 70S IN FEBRUARY, WHICH IS UNHEARD OF, AND THEN FIFTEEN DEGREES HERE THIS MORNING, IT'S REALLY THROWING OUR PLAN OUT OF WHACK.
Instructional Links
Website Article: Newsela, Winter Gets In One (Hopefully) Last Parting Shot Before Spring Arrives | Leveled articles. Need to sign in.
Website Article: National Weather Service, What Is a Nor’easter