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The weekend blizzard that slammed coastal Mid-Atlantic and New England with up to 30.9 inches of snow and howling winds is consistent with climate science research showing how the characteristics of these winter storms are changing.

Why it matters: Nor'easters have been affecting New England for generations, and they are deadly and costly. Climate change may be making these weather systems more potent. 

Details: These types of storms are powered by the contrast between air masses, with Arctic air to the north and relatively mild maritime air over the waters of the Gulf Stream.

Due to climate change, ocean temperatures are climbing and more moisture is being added to the atmosphere.

This is causing an uptick in heavy precipitation events (rain and snow) and may boost the storm intensification rates. The Gulf of Maine is one of the fastest-warming ocean regions on Earth, a trend tied to climate change.

The weekend storm intensified at an extraordinary pace, its minimum central pressure plunging by 35 millibars in 18 hours. In general, the lower the pressure, the stronger the storm.

The big picture: Many of the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast's biggest snowstorms on record have occurred since 2000, in line with climate change-related trends toward more frequent and severe heavy precipitation events.

Including Saturday, six of Boston's top 10 snowstorms have occurred since 2003, and nine of its top 10 since 1978. Similar trends have been seen in New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

Computer modeling studies show an intensification of the bigger storms, even as smaller snow events become rare.

Go deeper: The cost of last year's "relentless" climate and weather disasters

Climate change may be supercharging Northeast snowstorms

Many of the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast's biggest snowstorms on record have occurred since 2000.

Map showing weekend blizzard in northeast

Sea surface temperature departures from average on Jan. 29, 2021. (Weatherbell.com)

Climate change

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Ominous forecasts about the impact of climate change serve as the backdrop for the world — led by U.S. lawmakers and companies — to debate big action on the problem, which could upend energy systems and our way of life.

Energy & Environment

A look at the scientific breakthroughs changing the world, explorations in space and in worlds beyond our own and the threats posed to us by our own planet, both out of our control and of our own making.

Science

Thousands of customers were without power in Massachusetts after a historic blizzard hit the region on Saturday, with Boston tying its record for the most snow to fall in one day, at 23.6 inches, and recording its sixth-largest snowstorm of all time.

The latest: Authorities in New York's Long Island have confirmed four storm-related deaths over the weekend, including two men who died shoveling snow in separate incidents in the town of Syosset.

Despite up to two feet of snow falling in the Boston area this weekend, Mayor Michelle Wu said the city's schools would open Monday and the snow emergency would lift at 6 am, as work continued to clear streets, ramps, and sidewalks.

Reports of 16-30 inches of snow have come in from parts of southeastern Massachusetts and eastern Connecticut, per the National Weather Service (NWS). Parts of Maine picked up more than a foot of snow.

Nearly 9,000 customers in Massachusetts didn't have electricity Sunday night, per the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.

More than a foot of snow fell in coastal New Jersey, with 7.5 to 10 inches in the metro New York City area. Islip Airport on Long Island reported 22.4 inches.

The peak total reached 30.9 inches in Stoughton and 30.4 inches in Sharon, Mass. Both communities are suburbs of Boston.

Travel disruptions: There were about 3,500 flight cancellations Saturday in the Northeast, according to Flight Aware, including 89% of flights going to or from Boston.

Amtrak canceled Acela service between Washington, D.C. and Boston on Saturday due to the storm, and there was no Northeast Regional Service between Boston and New York. Regional New England routes were also canceled.

In a Friday evening press conference, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker asked residents to stay home throughout Saturday. "Two to four inches per hour is basically whiteout conditions," he said, referring to peak snowfall rates.

Travel in southern New England was "very dangerous to nearly impossible," the NWS said Saturday morning.

The big picture: The storm was energized by powerful jet stream winds and a contrast in air masses as Arctic air poured in from Canada. The low-pressure area responsible for this blizzard intensified at an "explosive" rate, the NWS said.

The storm underwent a meteorological process known as bombogenesis, which is why it was referred to as a "bomb cyclone."

Bombogenesis occurs when the minimum central air pressure in a non-tropical storm drops by at least 24 millibars in 24 hours. In the case of this blizzard, the pressure drop was 35 millibars in just 18 hours, which greatly exceeded the definition.

In general, the lower the pressure, the stronger the storm.

As the low intensified throughout Saturday, it pushed intense bands of snow featuring whiteout conditions north-northwestward, into Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Boston saw eight straight hours of heavy snow with near-zero visibility, for example. Heavy snow has affected coastal Maine.

Satellite image showing a powerful blizzard on the East Coast on Jan. 29, 2022.

Satellite image showing the powerful blizzard on the East Coast on Jan. 29. Photo: NOAA

Warmer than average ocean temperatures off the New England coast aided in intensifying the storm and adding more moisture to it, helping it produce extremely heavy snowfall over land. Studies have tied these increasing ocean temperatures to human-caused climate change.

Threat level: NWS forecasters warned localized amounts up to 3 feet were possible in Massachusetts. While Boston did not break its all-time record, it did record a top 10 storm and set a monthly record.

Winds guested between 65 and 75 mph in eastern Massachusetts, particularly Cape Cod and the Islands, which caused widespread power outages.

What's next: The storm drew frigid air from Canada southward behind it, leaving the snowpack locked in place for a few days as multiple states dig out and try to get transportation and other services running again.

Flashback: Many of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast's biggest snowstorms on record have occurred since 2000, in line with climate change-related trends toward more frequent and severe heavy precipitation events.

Before this weekend, five of Boston's top 10 snowstorms had occurred since 2003, and eight of its top 10 since 1978.

In New York City, seven of its top nine biggest snowstorms have occurred since 1996, with six of them since 2003. Three of its top five have occurred since 2006.

Axios' Erin Doherty contributed reporting.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with new details throughout. 

Thousands without power after historic blizzard slams New England

The storm was on Boston’s top 10 list of all time snowstorms.

A resident walks down a street during a blizzard in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., on Saturday

A resident walks down a Boston street on Jan. 29. Photo: Allison Dinner/Bloomberg via Getty Images

extreme weather

A man takes in the view on Long Wharf during the snowstorm in downtown Boston, MA on January 29.

Blizzard warnings are in effect for 11 million people from coastal Virginia to eastern Maine as a historic winter storm is set to slam the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast beginning Friday. 

Why it matters: The storm will bring hazards ranging from zero visibility amid hurricane force wind gusts and heavy snow, to coastal flooding that will erode vulnerable beaches and threaten property from the Jersey shore to coastal Massachusetts. 

Over 6,000 flights for Friday and Saturday have been canceled as the region braces itself for the impact. 

The big picture: The storm is expected to rapidly intensify as it moves from the  Carolinas on Friday evening to a position south-southeast of Cape Cod on Saturday. A total of 75 million people were under some form of winter weather alerts as of Friday afternoon. 

As the storm moves north, it will bring a swath of extremely heavy snowfall and strong winds, with one to two feet of snow or more forecast to fall from coastal Virginia to eastern Maine. 

The highest snow totals are expected in Massachusetts, where Boston is predicted to see at least two feet, with up to 30 inches in parts of the metro area, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). This event may become the biggest snowstorm on record in Boston.

The low pressure area responsible for this blizzard will undergo a process known as bombogenesis Friday into Saturday, and it's therefore referred to as a bomb cyclone. This is due to the rapid drop in its minimum central air pressure, which will exceed the bomb cyclone definition of plummeting at least 24 millibars in 24 hours. 

According to the National Weather Service, the pressure plunge could be as fast as 40 millibars in that time frame, a feat meteorologists called "explosive" in a forecast discussion Friday morning. In general, the lower the pressure, the stronger the storm.

The latest: The governors of Rhode Island, New Jersey and New York declared states of emergency Friday. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan also declared a state of emergency Friday and mobilized members of the Maryland National Guard ahead of the storm.

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker asked residents to stay home Friday night through Saturday. "Two to four inches per hour is basically whiteout conditions," he said, referring to peak snowfall rates. 

Map showing National Weather Service forecast for snow totals through Jan. 29, 2022.

Map showing National Weather Service forecast for snow totals through Jan. 29, 2022. (Weatherbell.com)

Threat level: Coastal areas will bear the brunt of this storm, though in New England, some of the most prolific snow bands could move well inland, based on computer model projections. 

The NWS forecast office in Boston is warning of wind gusts along the coast that could exceed hurricane force of 74 mph, knocking out power when temperatures will be in the low teens. 

A combination of the frigid temperatures in the low teens, record warm ocean temperatures for this time of year and strong atmospheric lift may produce thundersnow in the heaviest snow bands.  

Warmer than average ocean temperatures off the New England coast will aid in intensifying the storm and adding more moisture to it, helping it produce extremely heavy snowfall over land. 

In eastern Massachusetts in particular, "extreme" impacts are likely, the NWS warns. 

The forecast snowfall totals would make this the biggest snowstorm the region has seen since 2018, and the first blizzard warnings to be issued in the region since then. 

Some spots could break longer-term records. For example, Boston has not seen a snowstorm deliver more than two feet of snow during the month of January, and if amounts exceed 28 inches, which is possible, it would become the city's biggest snow event on record. 

In New York City, amounts are expected to be lower, with between 8 and 12 inches. The storm's fickle track makes it difficult to pin down snowfall amounts there, the NWS stated.

Our thought bubble: Everything about this storm -- its rapid intensification, track over unusually mild ocean waters and extremely cold air in place over land -- makes it a prime candidate for producing record snow totals.

Context: Many of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast's biggest snowstorms on record have occurred since 2000, in line with climate change-related trends toward more frequent and severe heavy precipitation events. 

Five of Boston‘s top 10 snowstorms have occurred since 2003, and eight of its top 10 since 1978. 

Baltimore has seen seven out of its top 10 biggest snowstorms since 1979, and four of its top five took place post-1996.   

Philadelphia‘s top three snowstorms have taken place since 1996.

Bomb cyclone prompts blizzard warnings from Virginia to Maine

Record-breaking snowfall amounts could occur.

Computer model projection of the New England blizzard on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022.

Computer model projection showing the intense storm off of Cape Cod on Jan 29, 2022, with heavy snow and strong winds lashing the coastline. (Weatherbell.com)

For the latest on this story, follow this link. 

Nearly 45 million Americans are under winter weather alerts and warnings from North Carolina to northeastern Maine, as a major winter storm threatens the region.

Why it matters: It is predicted to be the biggest blizzard since 2018 to strike the Northeast with more than 2 feet of snow possible in parts of eastern Massachusetts, according to the National Weather Service.

State of play: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul directed state agencies to prepare their emergency response, while Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency Thursday in anticipation of the possible blizzard set to begin Friday. 

"We are very concerned with the forecasted impacts to our Eastern Shore region and have started pre-positioning resources to ensure a timely response to that area," Youngkin said.

The big picture: The bomb cyclone is expected to begin during the day Friday along the East Coast. The forecast has had a high degree of uncertainty, especially for the Philadelphia and New York City metro areas, but it's clear that a powerful storm was building along the East Coast.

"Numerous hazards are likely from heavy snow, with significant accumulations across eastern Long Island/New England, to gusty winds and coastal issues," the NWS said on Friday morning.

At the height of the storm on Saturday, snowfall rates in eastern Massachusetts could exceed 3 or even 4 inches per hour, per the NWS. Blizzard conditions are expected due to the combination of heavy snow and strong winds for areas from eastern Long Island through coastal New England.

National Weather Service forecast for snowfall amounts from the powerful East Coast storm through Saturday Jan. 29, 2022. 

National Weather Service forecast for snowfall amounts from the powerful East Coast storm through Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022. Credit: Weatherbell.com

What else to watch: The snowfall totals for New York City and Philadelphia are the most uncertain, though snowfall is expected to end by early afternoon on Saturday across these regions. 

Nor'easters like this one, which feature strong winds blowing from the sea towards the shore, are able to "inflict even more flood damage than they used to just a few decades ago" as sea levels rise.

"There remains some uncertainty with the exact storm track which will have a direct impact on accumulations and where the heaviest snowfall sets up," a forecast discussion from the NWS Boston office reads.

"In addition, we are increasingly concerned about blizzard or near-blizzard conditions developing."

Axios Climate/Energy reporter Andrew Freedman contributed reporting.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with details of Hochul's response and further comment from the NWS.

45 million Americans under winter storm watches near New England

It's the biggest blizzard since 2018 to strike the Northeast.

Computer model projection showing the winds moving around the powerful East Coast storm on Saturday Jan. 29, 2022.

Computer model projection showing the winds moving around the powerful East Coast storm on Saturday Jan. 29, 2022. Image: https://earth.nullschool.net

For the most up-to-date information on this storm, follow this link. 

A powerful blizzard is likely to strike parts of New England and the Mid-Atlantic beginning Friday and lasting into the weekend, with snow totals that are likely to be measured in feet. 

The big picture: The joining of weather systems embedded in both the polar, or northern branch, of the jet stream and the southern branch is projected to create a bomb cyclone. Such storms undergo a process known as bombogenesis, with their minimum central air pressure readings plunging at least 24 millibars in 24 hours. 

Details: While it is clear that a powerful storm will develop off the East Coast, the details regarding its intensity, as well as its exact track are still coming into focus. As of Wednesday afternoon, two of the most reliable computer modeling systems, the European model and the American GFS, differed on how far west the heavy snow would reach. 

The European model solution shows heavy snow, on the order of 1 to 2 feet or more, falling from eastern New Jersey to Long Island, northeastward to Boston and the state of Maine. 

The GFS, on the other hand, keeps the center of the storm far enough offshore to spare the Mid-Atlantic entirely, including New York, from a crippling blow, and instead confines the heaviest snow to eastern New England. 

Computer model projection of snowfall totals from the upcoming blizzard in the Mid-Atlantic and New England.

Snowfall projection from a blend of computer models put together by the National Weather Service. (Weatherbell.com)

“I know you’ve heard it repeated to death, but the key message continues to be the same: guidance is trending favorably for a big storm, but the exact track remains uncertain,” the National Weather Service in Boston wrote in forecast discussion Wednesday morning.

Between the lines: The computer model differences stem from how they each handle the location and eventual interaction between the different pieces of energy that will create this winter storm. 

If the weather disturbances in the upper atmosphere link up, or "phase," earlier, then there's a greater likelihood of a blockbuster snowstorm in the Big Apple. A later phasing reduces that chance.

Threat level: Where the heaviest snow falls, blizzard conditions may develop, with winds of 50 mph or higher whipping the snow into tall drifts and lowering visibility to near zero at times. 

Winds could gust as high as hurricane force (74 mph) or greater on Cape Cod and the Islands on Saturday and Saturday night. 

There is agreement among computer model guidance and forecasters at the National Weather Service that eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island stand the best chance of seeing the heaviest snowfall, with this storm becoming the biggest snow event there since 2018. 

In addition to the heavy snow and high winds, there is the potential for coastal flooding, as winds push high waves and a storm surge onshore. Nor'easters like this one, so named because of their strong winds blowing from the northeast to southwest, can cause significant beach erosion and flood low-lying coastal areas. 

Travel disruptions are likely across southern New England, and possibly a wider area than that, during this time period, including the possible shutdown of major airports in the region. 

Context: While nor'easters have been a feature of New England winters for generations, their characteristics and threats are shifting due to global warming.

As sea levels rise, nor'easters are able to inflict even more flood damage than they used to just a few decades ago.

In addition, as the storm approaches New England, it will traverse record warm ocean waters for this time of year, which could help intensify the system and also may wrap milder air into the storm system.

The Gulf of Maine in particular is one of the fastest-warming ocean regions on Earth, a trend tied to climate change and other factors. 

Blizzard likely to hit New England this weekend as "bomb cyclone" forms

This could be the biggest snowstorm many have seen since 2018.

Computer model projection of the precipitation from a major storm in New England. 

Computer model projection of the precipitation and wind field from the weekend storm in the Northeast. (Earth.nullschool.net)

A high-impact, powerful winter storm is becoming more likely to affect parts of New England and potentially the Mid-Atlantic states this weekend. 

Threat level: The storm, now simulated by most of the reliable computer models used as weather forecasting tools, could bring upwards of a foot of snow, blizzard conditions due to high winds and heavy snow and coastal flooding from Long Island to Maine. 

The big picture: How strong the storm becomes and where it tracks depends on a complex interaction between disturbances in two branches of the jet stream — the corridor of fast-flowing winds at about 30,000 feet, which helps steer and energize weather systems. 

A disturbance across the Southwest on Wednesday and Thursday is projected to link up with energy in the northern or polar jet stream Thursday night and into Friday, carving out a large southward dip or trough in the jet stream and forming an area of low pressure at the surface. 

This low may start out humbly, spreading light rain and snow from the Carolinas to the Mid-Atlantic Friday into Friday night, but as it moves north-northeast, it could undergo rapid intensification, becoming a bomb cyclone swirling somewhere near Cape Cod by Saturday. 

This would put it in a classic position for a nor'easter, a storm named for its gale to storm-force winds blowing from the northeast to southwest. Such storms can often produce high waves and storm surge flooding that erode coastal areas and can flood low-lying areas in Boston, for example. 

The National Weather Service forecast office in Boston warned of the coastal flood risk in a forecast discussion Tuesday, stating: "Astronomical tides will be high on Saturday. Strong winds driving the water toward shore will bring surges that could cause coastal flooding along vulnerable sections of the east and south coasts."

Details: Since the storm is a few days away, it is too early to make specific snowfall predictions, but computer model guidance has been consistent enough to sketch out the contours of the forecast. 

Areas to the north and east of Philadelphia will have the greatest chances of seeing significant amounts of snow. 

Southern New England, coastal New Hampshire and Maine look to be the most likely areas to see amounts on the order of 6-12 inches and higher. 

The exact track and intensity of the storm will determine where the heaviest snow falls, and could make the difference between a blizzard that stretches from New York City to Boston and one that mainly affects eastern New England. 

There is still the possibility that the storm will not move close enough to the coast and intensify sufficiently to produce heavy snow, high winds and coastal flooding. However, the no-storm scenarios have become less likely on Tuesday. 

The intrigue: As the storm approaches New England, it will traverse record warm ocean waters for this time of year, which could help intensify the system and also may introduce some sleet or rain into the mix along coastal areas. 

Waters have also been getting milder south of New England, which can influence nor'easters and other storms.

What's next: After this storm moves through, the weather pattern may turn milder for the first part of February, particularly across the Midwest and East. 

Odds of a New England blizzard this weekend are increasing

This could be the biggest snowstorm of the winter so far for many.

Computer model projection of surface pressure on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022.

Computer model projection from the European Ensemble showing a powerful low pressure area moving up the East Coast on Jan. 29, 2022.

Global economic losses in 2021, by disaster type

The consulting firm Aon is out Tuesday with its summary of natural disasters report from 2021, which has a heavy emphasis on economic losses from climate and extreme weather events.

Why it matters: As the world warms, certain extreme events are becoming more severe and frequent, although climate trends may not be easy to discern in the aggregate statistics.

Details: The report shows that last year was the third-costliest year on record after adjusting for inflation, with $329 billion in climate and weather-related losses.

Losses were up from the year before, though the number of disasters was down slightly.

Hurricane Ida was the costliest single event on record, with $75.3 billion in economic losses, while the European floods in July took second place at about $46 billion.

What they're saying: "The word that best describes 2021 is 'relentless,'" said Steve Bowen, head of catastrophe insight for Aon.

"We seem to be growing accustomed to large-scale and expensive disasters, but we really should be treating it as a warning sign from Mother Nature that more of these types of events are going to come."

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to note that Aon is a consulting firm, not an insurer.

The cost of last year's "relentless" climate and weather disasters

"The word that best describes 2021 is 'relentless.'"

: Cars sit abandoned on the flooded Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx following a night of heavy wind and rain from the remnants of Hurricane Ida

After a record economic expansion, the coronavirus pandemic sent the U.S. economy into a recession as unemployment soared to staggering heights. The country now faces urgent questions about how much stimulus is needed for reeling consumers and businesses, and what a recovery might look like.

Economy & Business

The Department of Agriculture on Tuesday unveiled a 10-year plan to combat the kind of catastrophic wildfires that have devastated parts of the West in recent years.

Driving the news: Climate change, as well as overgrown forests and an increasing number of homes in areas where nature and urban life meet, have led to a "full-blown wildfire and forest health crisis," the strategy document notes.

State of play: The plan will "significantly increase fuels and forest health treatments" that help combat wildfires and will target areas that pose the highest-risk for community exposure, the Agriculture Department said. 

The $50 billion plan will double the use of controlled fires and logging to reduce the amount of trees and vegetation that frequently act as tinder in areas that are at high-risk for wildfires, AP reported.

High-risk areas include parts of the Pacific Northwest, California and Colorado, the department noted. 

As part of the strategy, the Forest Service will treat up to an additional 20 million acres of National Forest System lands and up to an additional 30 million acres of other federal, state, Tribal, private and family lands.

What they're saying: “The negative impacts of today’s largest wildfires far outpace the scale of efforts to protect homes, communities and natural resources,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in the press release.

“Our experts expect the trend will only worsen with the effects of a changing climate," he added.

“You’re going to have forest fires. The question is how catastrophic do those fires have to be,” Vilsack told AP.

The big picture: The U.S. has suffered from a spate of devastating wildfires in recent years.

The Boulder, Colorado-area wildfires last month were the state's most destructive wildfires on record, and were made worse due to the effects of climate change.

California's Dixie Fire in August was the 3rd largest in the state's history.

Six of the seven largest fires in California's history have occurred since August 2020, according to CalFire.

Our thought bubble, from Axios' Andrew Freedman: The administration's moves are aimed at reducing the likelihood of wildfires encroaching on the so-called wildland urban interface, or WUI. 

People have pushed homes deeper into the WUI in recent years, and the recent wildfire disaster in the Denver suburbs illustrated how even areas not located right next to forests can be considered as part of the WUI, and therefore at risk of wildfires.

Climate change and decades of land management policies are causing wildfires to become larger in recent years, and to exhibit extreme behavior that makes them difficult for firefighters to control.

Biden administration unveils plan to fight wildfires

Climate change and decades of land management policies are causing wildfires to become larger in recent years.

Crews work among burned materials from the Dixie fire. 

Crews work among burned materials from the Dixie fire in Northern California last year. Photo: Ty O'Neil/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Wildfires

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Politics & Policy

A major winter storm lashed much of the East Coast Sunday and Monday, causing widespread power outages and disrupting travel over the holiday weekend.

The latest: Authorities in North Carolina confirmed that two people died in a car crash and that they responded 600 vehicle accidents during the storm on Sunday, per the Washington Post.

State of play: The Weather Prediction Center said in a storm summary Monday that winter storm warnings were still in effect for portions of the Central Appalachians, Ohio Valley, interior Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, while other portions of the Central Appalachians and coastal New England are under high wind warnings.

The prediction center, based in College Park, Maryland, said the storm is expected to move slowly through the Northeast on Monday, likely bringing more snow and precipitation to the Central Appalachians and Northeast.

Extremely high wind gusts over 60 miles per hour were recorded in parts of the East Coast on Monday morning, and more than 129,200 customers from New York to Georgia were still without power, according to estimates from PowerOutage.us.

The big picture: Heavy snow and ice accumulations were "likely to produce hazardous travel," downed trees and more outages from the Mid-South to the Northeast, per the National Weather Service. 

The NWS reported 22 inches of snow fell in Ohio and New York at their highest points, 20 inches in North Carolina, and 10 inches in Georgia. 

The wintry storm spawned two tornadoes in southwest Florida Sunday morning — including an EF-2 tornado with maximum winds of 118 near Fort Myers, Lee County, which injured at least three people, per the NWS.  

By the numbers: More than 8,000 customers were without power in West Virginia and over 7,000 had no electricity in both Kentucky and North Carolina on Tuesday morning.

Other states still with widespread power outages included Georgia (nearly 5,000) and Florida (almost 4,000).

More than 3,000 flights within, into or out of the U.S. were canceled and over 8,000 others were delayed on Sunday, when the weather was particularly bad, FlightAware data shows.

What to expect: A deep low pressure system responsible for the severe U.S. weather in Florida is set to move farther into southeastern Canada on Tuesday, per the NWS.

Much of the interior Northeast will see the snow becoming more scattered over Monday night and the snow across the region should gradually taper off on Tuesday, the agency said.

"However, due to the size of the departing storm, blustery conditions are expected to continue into Tuesday for much of the Northeast," the NWS added.

Meanwhile, weather agency Environment Canada warned 8-16 inches of snow could fall on Monday over parts of southern and eastern Ontario, near the border with the U.S. 

 A vehicle crashed on the road closed by the storm, on the Northwest Angle ice road at Lake of the Woods between Warroad and Angle Inlet, Minnesota on January 17. 

A vehicle crashed on the road closed by the storm, on the Northwest Angle ice road at Lake of the Woods between Warroad and Angle Inlet, Minnesota on Jan. 17. Photo: Kerem Yucel/AFP via Getty Images

Thousands without power as "hazardous" winter storm lashes East Coast

The NWS heavy snow and ice accumulations are set to "produce hazardous travel," downed trees and more power outages.

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