Giant winter storm pushes into Canada

PanARMENIAN.Net - A giant winter storm that gridlocked traffic, left flights cancelled, and knocked out power in the U.S. East Coast has pushed into eastern Canada, according to BBC News.

As much as 60cm (24in) was expected to fall in some areas by the end of Friday, Feb 14, blown about by heavy winds, from Quebec to Newfoundland.

Authorities closed a 200km (124 mile) section of the Trans-Canada Highway in Quebec.

The storm has been blamed for the deaths of more than two dozen people.

In the U.S., almost 450,000 people and businesses remained without power in the typically mild southern states on Friday, some for a third day, after the storm destroyed power lines and knocked down trees.

The weather system tapered off as it crawled farther north, but was still strong enough to bring almost 30cm of snow to areas of Quebec and parts of Newfoundland on Friday, with high winds of more than 60 mph (95km/h).

Other parts of the eastern provinces and Nova Scotia saw heavy rain from the same storm.

In eastern Quebec, several motorways, including the Trans-Canada Highway from Quebec City to Riviere-du-Loup, were partially shut after the snow and high winds dangerously hindered visibility.

Canadian weather officials have issued a number of winter storm warnings as another unrelated system is expected to bring severe weather to the Atlantic Provinces again on Saturday and Sunday.

The storm struck first on Wednesday in the U.S. South, where it covered trees and power lines with as much as an inch of ice and caused traffic jams across the region.

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley compared the damage to the aftermath of a hurricane.

One electric cooperative in the state lost 50 poles in the ice storm, compared to 21 in the last cyclone, officials said. Those still in the dark in the U.S. South may wait several more days before electricity is restored.

The storm then moved up the U.S. East Coast, dumping heavy snow from North Carolina to Boston over a 24-hour period. Parts of New York state saw as much as 27in.

Washington-area offices of the U.S. federal government were closed on Thursday to spare workers the dangerous commute.

At least 25 deaths have been blamed on the storm.