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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 3 February 2022
Winter storm packing snow, freezing rain moves across U.S.

Associated Press who ordered state govern-
CHICAGO (AP) — A major ment offices to close on
winter storm with millions Thursday. "It is dangerous.
of Americans in its path People need to be pre-
brought a mix of rain, freez- pared."
ing rain and snow to the The disruptive storm moved
central U.S. on Wednesday across the central U.S. on
as airlines canceled thou- Groundhog Day, the same
sands of flights, officials day the famed groundhog
urged residents to stay off Punxsutawney Phil pre-
roads and schools closed dicted six more weeks of
campuses. winter. The storm came on
The blast of frigid weath- the heels of a nor'easter
er, which began arriving last weekend that brought
Tuesday night, put a long blizzard conditions to many
stretch of states from New parts of the East Coast.
Mexico and Colorado to The storm's path extended
Maine under winter storm as far south as Texas, nearly
warnings and watches. On a year after a catastrophic
Wednesday morning, Okla- freeze buckled the state's
homa, Kansas, Missouri, Illi- power grid in one of the
nois, Indiana and Michigan worst blackouts in U.S. histo-
saw freezing rain, sleet and ry. The forecast did not call
snow. A woman walks to a bus shelter on Dr. Martin Luther King Drive as a man waits in the shelter during for the same prolonged
More than a foot of snow the pre-dawn hours Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022, in Chicago. and frigid temperatures as
was expected in parts of Associated Press the February 2021 storm,
central Missouri and Michi- and the National Weather
gan, and up to a foot of hit a sledding hill Wednes- fered few opportunities for Fifield told WFLD-TV. Service said the system
snow could fall Wednesday day morning, even as snow business. In central Missouri, officials would, generally, not be as
and Thursday in central and was falling over the city. "This one here, we're look- shut down part of Interstate bad this time for Texas.
northeastern Illinois. Twelve "Cold and wet and won- ing for a good two, three 70 midday after a crash No large-scale power out-
to 18 inches (30 to 45 cen- derful, and getting cold days of work," Haley said made the roadway impass- ages were reported by ear-
timeters) of snow was pos- and wet is part of the fun after clearing snow away able. ly afternoon Wednesday
sible in areas of northern In- with the guys, and we get from several businesses in Areas south of the heavy in Texas or elsewhere, ac-
diana, said Andrew Orrison, to go inside and have hot Canton. snow were expected to cording to poweroutage.
a meteorologist with the cocoa and warm up," But for those on the roads, see freezing rain, with the us.
National Weather Service Waldman said. the heavy snow created heaviest ice predicted Snowfall totals reached 22
in College Park, Maryland. In Detroit's western suburbs, hazardous conditions. along the lower Ohio Val- inches (56 centimeters) in
"For a lot of areas, we are Tony Haley also found an "We're receiving a lot of ley area from Louisville, Colorado Springs and up to
going to be looking at sig- advantage to the weath- snow over here in northwest Kentucky, to Memphis, Ten- 10 inches (25 centimeters)
nificant amounts of snow- er. He owns a landscaping Indiana and it's the wet, nessee. in the Denver area, with
fall and also ice," he said. and irrigation company slushy snow that causes "If everything holds to more expected, prompting
In Chicago, Elisha Wald- that offers snow removal treacherous driving condi- where it is right now, this universities, state govern-
man and his sons wel- and salting services, but tions to say the least," Indi- is the real deal," said Ken- ment offices and the Legis-
comed the opportunity to the early winter weeks of- ana State Police Sgt. Glen tucky Gov. Andy Beshear, lature to shut down. q

Punxsutawney Phil predicts six more weeks of winter

around the nation and Pittsburgh, of a boost from his prediction. New York
other countries gathered tourists. It was streamed City's Staten Island Chuck
at Gobbler's Knob as mem- live and seen by more than expects an early spring,
bers of Punxsutawney Phil's 15,000 viewers worldwide according to Staten Island
"inner circle" summoned at one point. About 150 District Attorney Michael
him from his tree stump at cardboard cutouts of fans McMahon, who presided
dawn to learn if he had were there to "watch." over a ceremony that was
seen his shadow, a mes- The annual event has its livestreamed from Chuck's
sage they said Phil commu- origin in a German legend home at the Staten Island
nicated in "groundhogese." about a furry rodent. Zoo.
After Phil's prediction was According to records dat- "He did not see his shad-
announced, the crowd ing back to 1887, Phil has ow. We will have an early
repeatedly chanted "six predicted winter more than spring," McMahon an-
more weeks!" 100 times. Ten years were nounced.
Groundhog Club handler A.J. Dereume interacts with Punx- According to folklore, lost because no records New York Mayor Eric Adams
sutawney Phil, the weather prognosticating groundhog, during
the 136th celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler's Knob in spring would come early if were kept, organizers said. did not attend the ceremo-
Punxsutawney, Pa., Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022. he didn't see it. The 2020 forecast called for ny but said in a videotaped
Associated Press The event took place vir- an early spring. message, "Chuck has been
tually last year because of Punxsutawney Phil may be very accurate in his predic-
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) he emerged from his bur- the coronavirus pandemic, the most famous ground- tions since 1981. I think I can
— There will be six more row Wednesday to perform depriving the community, hog seer but he's certainly speak for all New Yorkers
weeks of winter, Punx- his Groundhog Day duties. which is about 65 miles (105 not the only one, and one when I say, 'Chuck, please
sutawney Phil predicted as Thousands of people from kilometers) northeast of competitor disagreed with don't see your shadow.'"q