Blizzard Hits the East Coast

The East Coast of the United States was hit hard with a blizzard from Jan. 22 to Jan. 24.  Now ranked fourth among the worst snowstorms in the Northeast, the storm was given a rating of 7.66 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  

NOAA spokeswoman Maureen O’Leary said, “The blizzard last Friday through Sunday

affected 102.8 million people and covered about 434,000 square miles in 26 states.”  According to Paul Kocin, a meteorologist, about 24 million people saw more than 20 inches of snow, and about 1.5 million people saw more than 30 inches. The storm range was from Louisiana to Maine and across the the southern Midwest.

In an interview with JSR, Paul Kim, a sophomore at Walton High School in New York, said, “The amount of snow is incredible!  It goes above my knees.  My parents won’t let me go outside at all, but oh well, at least I don’t have to go to school!”

During the snowstorm, about 52 people died in 11 states by heart attacks, carbon monoxide poisoning, and car accidents.  According to the Associated Press, five deaths involved people who were sheltered in cars that filled with carbon monoxide because of the snow-covered exhaust pipes.  

According to BBC News, more than 989 car crashes have been reported in Virginia.  More than 7,000 flights have been cancelled, and 100,000 homes have lost power in North Carolina. The blizzard caused a major financial downfall.  According to the Associated Press, the economists at Moody’s Analytics said the lost output was $2.5 billion to $3 billion.  However, this output only includes the work hours lost and the absence of consumer spendings.

According to NOAA, the storm caused more than $2 billion worth of property damage in 22 states.  In Maryland alone, emergency management officials estimate tens of millions of dollars needed for snow shoveling, public property damaging, and emergency procedures.  

The financial cost is still being calculated, but the East Coast has taken a huge hit to its economy.