Winter blast pounds Northeast day after Midwest gets slammed

For the second time this week, millions of Americans in the Midwest and Northeast were dealt a blast of winter weather in the form of sleet and heavy snow, with expected accumulations of a foot or more in parts of Massachusetts and New York. The weather wreaked havoc on both commuters and travelers Wednesday morning in the form of road delays and flight cancellations.

A day after the storm pounded the nation's midsection, there was a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain hitting a swath north of Washington, D.C., through New York City, as well as snowfall in Boston and parts of New England, said Rich Thompson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Several states issued winter alerts and warnings, with Kansas, New Jersey and New York under states of emergency. In total, more than 118 million Americans in 32 states were under some form of winter weather alert on Wednesday — more warnings than during any single storm last year.

Frequent snowstorms this winter season have taken a toll on supplies, especially road salt. Some states, such as Kansas, Indiana, New York and Pennsylvania, have already gone through their stockpiles, while others are using sand to stretch out their supplies.

Residents and state officials took extra precautions Wednesday, with officials postponing legislative work and canceling classes. Schools in Providence, R.I., where forecasters had called for 8 to 12 inches of snow, were ordered closed because of the storm.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie ordered state offices closed for all nonessential workers. 

"I encourage all New Jerseyans to drive carefully and remain off the roads if possible so that our first responders and public safety officials can safely respond to any emergency situations," Christie said in a statement. 

In central and eastern New York state, accumulations of 6 to 12 inches were expected by Wednesday evening, with 5 to 10 inches in the mid-Hudson Valley and 12 to 16 inches in higher elevations of the eastern Catskills. Western New York state will likely net 6 to 12 inches by the storm’s end.

Massachusetts also prepared for the worst Wednesday. Communities including Boston, Worcester and Springfield closed schools and banned street parking to prepare for snow removal.

Six to 12 inches of snow was expected in Massachusetts, with 3 to 6 inches in southeastern areas before a changeover to sleet and rain. The higher elevations of the Berkshires in western Massachusetts could see up to 15 inches.

The winter weather has wreaked havoc on travelers, with more than 2,000 flight cancellations and 250 delays reported on Wednesday morning, according to Flightaware.com, a website that tracks air traffic. 

In Kansas City, Mo., where snowfall had stopped and a deep freeze set in, Mayor Sly James warned residents to take extra precautions.

"The main thing is, don't let the fact that the snow stops make you feel so safe and comfortable that you ignore the low temperatures and the things that come with it," he said.

Thomas Drayton contributed to this report, with Al Jazeera and wire services.