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At a Glance - For the second time in less than a week, a nor'easter slammed the East Coast.

- This storm ended up much snowier than Riley along the I-95 corridor.

- The combination of heavy snow and strong winds resulted in tree damage and power outages.

Winter Storm Quinn brought up to 3 feet of heavy, wet snow and wind gusts over 50 mph to residents in the Northeast, causing more than 1 million power outages.

Winter Storm Quinn developed in late February near the U.S. West Coast as a rather sluggish trough of low pressure that slouched into the Southwest. Quinn brought more than six feet of snow to the Sierra during its multi-day voyage through the Rockies before bringing near-blizzard conditions to parts of the northern Plains.

To read more about the early days of Winter Storm Quinn, including its trek through the West and Midwest, see the first part of our Winter Storm Quinn recap here .

Widespread thundersnow was reported in the New York City area, parts of New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania and southern New England Wednesday afternoon and early-evening, along with snowfall rates up to 3 inches per hour.

(Northeast News: At Least 2 Dead; Nearly a Million Without Power )

The thundersnow led to a teacher being struck by lightning while on bus duty Wednesday afternoon in Ocean County, New Jersey, NBC10 Philadelphia reported. She was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.

The combination of heavy, wet snow and strong winds has brought down many large trees in the Northeast. A truck was hit by a falling tree on a Greenwich, Connecticut, highway early Wednesday evening. The driver reportedly escaped without injury.

Additionally, one person was killed in Suffern, New York, after a tree collapsed on top of them , News 12 Westchester reported. Officials have not yet released their identity.

As of late Wednesday evening, the top snow total was 26.8 inches in Montville, New Jersey.

The Schuylkill Expressway was shut down just west of Philadelphia Wednesday afternoon, as heavy snow led to numerous vehicle accidents.

In Philadelphia's northwest suburbs, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, reported 4.5 inches of snowfall in only 90 minutes Wednesday afternoon. On Long Island, Islip, New York, received snowfall rates up to 2 inches per hour early Wednesday evening.

Overall, the heaviest snow fell from northern New Jersey to parts of central Maine through Thursday.

Below are the top snowfall totals by state:

Connecticut: 28 inches in Warren; 26.8 inches in New Fairfield; 16.2 inches in Danbury; 8.7 inches in Hartford

28 inches in Warren; 26.8 inches in New Fairfield; 16.2 inches in Danbury; 8.7 inches in Hartford Delaware: 2.1 inches in Newark

2.1 inches in Newark Maine: 21.5 inches in Hartford; 19 inches in Sanford and Farmington; 15.7 inches in Portland; 13.5 inches in Brunswick

21.5 inches in Hartford; 19 inches in Sanford and Farmington; 15.7 inches in Portland; 13.5 inches in Brunswick Maryland: 4.5 inches near Churchville and Bel Air

4.5 inches near Churchville and Bel Air Massachusetts: 32 inches in Clarksburg; 30 inches in North Adams;13.5 inches in Pittsfield; 16.2 inches in Worcester; 5.9 inches in Boston

32 inches in Clarksburg; 30 inches in North Adams;13.5 inches in Pittsfield; 16.2 inches in Worcester; 5.9 inches in Boston New Hampshire: 20 inches in Sunapee; 18 inches near Madison and Washington; 16 inches in Dover

20 inches in Sunapee; 18 inches near Madison and Washington; 16 inches in Dover New Jersey: 26.8 inches in Montville; 24 inches near Franklin Lakes; 23 inches in North Caldwell

26.8 inches in Montville; 24 inches near Franklin Lakes; 23 inches in North Caldwell New York: 26 inches in Sloatsburg; 24.5 inches near Hillsdale; 15.1 inches in Saratoga Springs; 3.2 inches in Central Park

26 inches in Sloatsburg; 24.5 inches near Hillsdale; 15.1 inches in Saratoga Springs; 3.2 inches in Central Park Pennsylvania: 10.5 inches in Lower Makefield Township; 6.1 inches in Philadelphia

10.5 inches in Lower Makefield Township; 6.1 inches in Philadelphia Rhode Island: 13 inches in Burrillville; 11.3 inches in North Foster; 4.2 inches in North Providence; 2.3 inches in Providence

13 inches in Burrillville; 11.3 inches in North Foster; 4.2 inches in North Providence; 2.3 inches in Providence Vermont: 36 inches near Woodford; 32.5 inches in Searsburg; 25 inches in Wilmington; 8.9 inches in Bennington

In addition to the snow, winds have gusted over 50 mph from parts of Long Island into New England, with a few gusts near 60 mph on Cape Cod and Nantucket, leading to hundreds of thousands of power outages across the Northeast.

Why Did the 'Q' Storm (Quinn) Affect the Northeast After the 'R' Storm (Riley)?

Winter Storm Quinn was named Feb. 28 as it began to impact the Sierra Nevada and other parts of the Mountain West with heavy snow and strong winds.

The Weather Channel and weather.com did not assign a name to Winter Storm Riley until early the following morning, Thursday, March 1, when the Buffalo National Weather Service office issued winter storm warnings for about 2.8 million people in western and north-central New York. That exceeded the population criterion (2 million) to name Riley.

Had the naming criteria been reached for last week's nor'easter before it was met for the western storm, last week's nor'easter would have become Quinn and the current storm would be Riley. Since that wasn't the case, the Northeast will actually be impacted by the "Q" storm (Quinn) after the "R" storm (Riley).</s>The name alone might make you shiver in your boots — but what exactly a Nor’easter, the powerful winter storm that devastated parts of the country last week and is once again barreling through the East Coast?

Just days ago, a deadly Nor’easter — named Winter Storm Riley — killed eight people and knocked out the power for millions if Americans throughout the East Coast. And now, another Nor’easter — this one dubbed Winter Storm Quinn — is moving up the Northeast, potentially dropping up to a foot of snow on various major cities including New York City, Boston and Philadelphia.

AccuWeather senior meteorologist Carl Erikson says “it’s not unusual” for two strong Nor’easters to arrive back-to-back. But what’s troubling about this latest Nor’easter is that last week’s storm weakened many tree branches in the region — and with the heavy, wet kind of snow this storm system is bringing, it’s possible even more branches will break under the pressure.

And the worst is still to come with Winter Storm Quinn on Wednesday. “It’s just starting to really gain strength now,” says Erikson.

Rain began shifting into snow — including heavy squalls that brought white-out conditions — for many parts of the East Coast Wednesday morning including southeast Pennsylvania, northern New Jersey and up the 1-95 corridor to New York City. Erikson predicts this Nor’easter will bring heavy, wet snow, accumulating at about six to ten inches from Philadelphia to New York City, with harder-hit regions seeing as much as 18 inches. Gusts of 50 to 60 miles per hour may be detected along the coast. Throughout the region, 50 million people from Maryland to Maine are under a winter storm watch on Wednesday, CNN reports.

Already, Winter Storm Quinn has wreaked havoc on commutes and traveler’s plans — as many schools are closed around the region, flights have been canceled, and some transit systems are running on modified schedules, the New York reports.

Here’s what else you need to know about this Nor’easter, including where the name comes from.

A Nor’easter is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: a storm featuring winds from the northeast off the Atlantic Ocean, affecting the East Coast of the United States. The storms typically develop between Georgia and New Jersey, according to the National Weather Service.

“As the storm comes off the coast, you get that northeast wind, kind of a like a low-pressure, counter-clockwise spin,” Erikson said.

Though the term is often linked to winter storms, snow is not a meteorological requirement for Nor’easters — as the term can also apply to rain storms. Strong winds, flooding, and choppy seas are all regular features of Nor’easters as well. And the most powerful Nor’easters typically occur from September to April, the Weather Channel reports, so there may be more to come in 2018.

While hurricanes form in the tropics, Nor’easters form farther north, in what’s known as a mid-latitude region.

Why is it called a Nor’Easter?

While many assume Nor’easter is the name is a product of some kind of Maine lobsterman accent, that’s probably not true. In their book Origins of the Specious: Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language , Patricia T. O’Conner and Stewart Kellerman write:

Instead, “Nor’easter” seems to come from across the Atlantic Ocean. As far back as the Elizabethan period, the English used “nor'” and “nor’east” to refer to compass points.

The Oxford English Dictionary cites the first written usage of “nor’easter” in London in 1837, in a translation of the Aristophanes play by B.D. Walsh: “Slack your sheet! A strong nor’-easter’s groaning.” The unabbreviated term “northeaster” appeared in print earlier, in the in 1753: “Cap. Savage had a strong North-Easter some Hours before, about 8 Leagues S. W. of the Cape [Florida], in which he carried away his Boltsprit, but happily recover’d it again.”</s>Winter Storm Quinn brought rain, snow and frigid conditions to much of the Northeast on Wednesday. And then it brought thundersnow.

The storm is the second nor’easter to hit several states in the past week, disrupting commutes and travel itineraries, causing some schools to close and bringing more than a foot of snow to some places.

Winter Storm Quinn, which is expected to bring 7 to 11 inches of snow to the New York City area, also surprised some people with thundersnow — a rare phenomenon caused when lightning occurs within snow storms.

Meteorologist Jim Cantore is famous for his excitement over repeated instances of thundersnow during Winter Storm Neptune in Boston in February 2015. There were also instances of thundersnow caused by Winter Storm Stella last year and Winter Storm Grayson earlier this year.

As the National Severe Storms Laboratory has explained, “thundersnow can be found where there is relatively strong instability and abundant moisture above the surface, such as above a warm front.”

A New Jersey teacher was struck by lightning Wednesday during thundersnow in the midst of the storm, the Associated Press reported. She was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.</s>An intense winter storm is rapidly approaching the Northeastern United States. If you live in or are traveling to the region, you're probably wondering how to track Winter Storm Quinn — and what path meteorologists are predicting for the storm. While there is not one "best" way to track the storm, following the Weather Channel for live updates as well as checking out social media and television coverage from local weather services constitute some of the most useful ways to keep-up-date on the storm's track.

Winter Storm Quinn is expected to profoundly affect parts of the Northeast, with some major cities, including Philadelphia, Boston, and New York, expecting up to a foot of snow. The Weather Channel has been rigorously tracking the storm and has been offering frequent updates, including a live radar, on this webpage. The radar enables you to see the storm's current path and weather conditions. The page is also regularly updated with a "happening now" section, which describes current weather conditions in various states as a result of the storm.

According to the Weather Channel, determining the path of the storm and resultant snowfall is still a bit challenging. As the outlet described, "the jet stream energy from Quinn will trigger the development of an intensifying area of low pressure into Wednesday ... The exact track of that low is still a tad uncertain and is making the snowfall forecasts for parts of the Interstate 95 corridor quite tricky."

The Weather Channel also reported that the National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings for a spate of localities that could stand to be affected by Quinn. According to its website, the warnings apply to areas from "eastern Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey to central and eastern New York and much of New England. This includes Philadelphia, New York City, Hartford, Albany, Portland and much of the Boston metro area."

In addition to tracking the storm via the Weather Channel, you can also use social media to find out more information about the storm's potential path. You can use Twitter to find the local National Weather Service (NWS) account for your area, which will likely post frequent updates about the storm, including its potential path and impact on your area. For example, the National Weather Service Eastern Region's Twitter account can be found here and the National Weather Service New York, NY's account is located here. Moreover, you can also check the websites and Twitter accounts of your local news outlets and meteorologists for further information on the storm's effects in your area.

Many states and cities are already taking preemptive action to prepare for the expected ramifications of the storm. For example, New York's Governor, Andrew Cuomo, warned New Yorkers to be prepared for massive impacts on transit due to the storm:

If you are located in the Northeast, it is useful to utilize the aforementioned options to both track the storm as well as to determine any safety precautions you may need to take due to the storm. The most severe weather from the storm is expected to occur on Wednesday and Thursday — and residents in affected areas are advised to be on alert for updates and changes to storm conditions.</s>Winter Storm Quinn is currently headed toward the Northeast, with the storm expected to heavily affect the area on Wednesday and Thursday. As several states have declared a state of emergency in anticipation of the storm, many people are probably wondering how their travel plans will be affected — and whether or not Winter Storm Quinn will affect flights. So far, several airlines have cancelled flights and are also taking precautions to allow people flexibility if they have travel planned during the storm.

According to USA Today, over 1,700 flights are already cancelled through Thursday. The paper noted that Flightaware counted that, thus far, 1,600 flights were preemptively called off for Wednesday, as were 180 for Thursday. Many airlines that operate out of east coast cities have also announced that they are waiving ticket change and cancellation fees for people flying to or from areas that will be affected by the storm.

As reported by Money, Winter Storm Quinn is expected to produce up to a foot of snow in major east coast cities, including New York, Philadelphia, and Boston. Quinn constitutes the second severe winter storm to hit the area in a week, as Winter Storm Riley wreaked havoc on the region (and caused the cancellation of around 4,000 flights last week).

If you are traveling through the Northeast in the next few days and wish to see if your flight is eligible for a fee waiver for changes or cancellations, Money complied a very helpful list of individual policies by airline that you can view here. Generally, it seems like most airlines are offering free flight changes, and some are offering free cancellations/partial refunds, if you are flying to or from certain Northeast cities on days when the storm is expected to most heavily affect flight traffic.

In addition to affecting air travel, Winter Storm Quinn is also expected to profoundly affect public transport and roadways in several major cities. New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) chairman Joe Lhota told the Brownsville Patch that the storm will probably have a "significant impact" on the subway system in the city and could also cause delays to bus services as well. "The MTA is taking this storm very, very seriously," Lhota said. "We're ramping up all of our operations and we will be prepared."

In Boston, transportation officials have already announced the closure of several shuttle bus routes. They also expressed concern about people driving during the storm and encouraged motorists to stay off the roads. Indeed, Massachusetts' Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver noted on the state transportation department's website, “This storm will bring heavy snowfall to areas across the state throughout Wednesday and into Thursday, which could create hazardous travel conditions ... We advise members of the public to stay off the roads if possible, consider working from home or postponing travel plans and taking public transit if they must travel during this storm ..."

According to the New York Times, Amtrak has also already cancelled some train services in the Northeast region, including some Keystone Service, Empire Service, Acela Express, and Northeast Regional trains.

Overall, it appears that many transport providers, including airlines, are taking precautions to help counteract the presumed delays that will be caused by the storm. That being said, of course, the storm's effects could still be unpredictable and it could cause further unanticipated issues. If you are flying (or taking public transport) in the Northeast in the next few days, it is likely best to regularly check the status of your flight or other mode of transport, as plans could readily change as the storm unfolds.</s>Wednesday’s winter storm tracked east at the last minute and dumped much less snow on the Wyoming Valley than forecasters predicted.

The storm dropped several inches of snow in Mountain Top and up to a foot of snow on the highest elevations of the Poconos and areas close to the New Jersey border, but Scranton and Wilkes-Barre received far less than the 6-12 inches of snowfall predicted by various weather outlets and forecasters.

As of late Wednesday afternoon, with the storm winding down, 3 inches of snow had been recorded in the backyard of WNEP-TV in Moosic, according to Kurt Aaron, the station’s chief meteorologist.

No official snowfall total was available for Wilkes-Barre, but the roads in the city were clear Wednesday afternoon. Uncleared sidewalks and parking lots were covered in what looked like an inch of a slushy wintry mix.

“The explanation is simple,” Eyewitness News chief meteorologist Josh Hodell wrote in an email Wednesday.

“The center of the storm … the area of low pressure … jogged about 30 miles east,” he wrote. “As a result, it took the heavier bands of snow east. There was always a distinct, sharp western edge to this storm. Rather than having that occur over central Pennsylvania, the low’s eastward jog moved it closer to the valleys.”

Aaron and Hodell, as well as local meteorologist Dave Skutnik and the Eastern PA Weather Authority, all said the storm’s last-minute track to the east caught forecasters by surprise.

As of Tuesday night, all computer models suggested a more westerly track, Aaron said.

“It’s all about location,” he said, noting that in parts of Northeast Pennsylvania, all it took was a few miles to make the difference between a half-foot of snow and almost nothing.

“It can happen that way,” Aaron said.</s>March 5 (UPI) -- Weather forecasters predict a second winter storm will hit the northeastern United States later this week as some in the region were without power from last week's nor'easter.

Meteorologists issued a winter storm watch for parts of New England down to New York and New Jersey. The storm is expected to reach the Long Island and New Jersey shorelines Wednesday evening and night, bringing heavy snow and rain.

New York is expected to receive up to 10 inches of snow and Philadelphia is forecast to see 3 inches to 6 inches. Washington and Baltimore will fall in the southern portion of the storm's snow production Wednesday and are expected to experience little to no snow collection.

At least seven people, including two children, died in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Maryland and Virginia during the first winter storm, which blasted the region on Friday and Saturday.

Winds toppled power lines and flooded coastal towns throughout the Northeast as about 2 million homes and businesses lost power.

About 365,000 people were without electricity in Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Delaware on Monday, NBC News reported.

The first storm also prompted the National Weather Service to issue coastal flood and high surf warnings in Puerto Rico as its powerful winds caused breaking waves of 18 feet to 30 feet Monday

Meteorologist John Morales described the waves, which also affected Hispaniola and the Virgin Islands as "one of the worst ocean swell events in recent decade."

"The ocean swell event has been so impactful in the Caribbean that even within San Juan Bay the rising water and wave action caused damage along the outside of ancient wall surrounds Old San Juan," he said.</s>NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York and surrounding states were gearing up for a second winter storm within a week on Wednesday, with less wind but more snow predicted this time around as thousands remain without power from the last nor’easter.

Between six and 12 inches (15 and 30 cm) of snow are forecast for New York City and the surrounding suburbs in New Jersey and Connecticut through to Thursday morning, with wind gusts creating “near-white out conditions” for commuters, the National Weather Service said on Wednesday.

All schools were closed in Philadelphia while schools across the region canceled classes or shortened the school day ahead of the storm on Wednesday, local media reported.

The storm will spread west into Pennsylvania and up past Boston into New England where some locations may get as much as two feet (60 cm) of snow. Snowfall may turn to wintry rain in some areas, depending on how much of the storm stays out at sea.

This week’s storm is not forecast to have the hurricane-strength winds whipped up at times by the storm last week, but forecasters say strong gusts of 60 miles per hour (96.56 kmph) and accumulated snow will still be sufficient to knock down more power lines.

Some 250,000 homes and businesses in the region were still without power on Tuesday after the previous nor’easter.

The governors of New Jersey and Pennsylvania declared states of emergency, which gives them access to support from the U.S. government if needed. New Jersey’s Department of Health warned of treacherous driving conditions.

NYC Emergency Management said the city had 234,000 tons of rock salt on hand and was deploying 693 salt spreaders. City officials advised residents to avoid roads and stick to mass transit instead.

Amtrak canceled some of its Wednesday trains between Washington and Boston as well as some services in Pennsylvania, New York state and other areas of the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States.</s>We're less than a week into the month of March and with yesterday's snowstorm, we have nearly reached our average snowfall amount for the entire month. There was plenty of snow to go around and enough wind to cause white knuckle travel across the area Monday afternoon and evening. We went from spring-like weather this past weekend with temperatures in the 40s and 50s, to being thrust back into winter by later in the day Monday. The sign of a typical Wisconsin winter.

For many, the alarm clock they wake up to in the morning sounded more like snow blowers and plows. Monday's storm roared in like a lion and was marked with gusty east winds before the snow began to fall. The winter storm pasted roadways with heavy, wet snow just in time for the Monday evening commute.

Todd Shea, the warning coordination meteorologist at the La Crosse National Weather Service breaks down the storm by saying, "It was one of those storms that was kind of increasing and growing as it approached western Wisconsin and the region. We started off the day with a mixture of precipitation around. We had a little bit of icing in areas, and then the heavy snow area filled in. There was even some reports of lightning with it.":

Snowfall rates peaked at nearly two inches per hour indicating the ferocity of the storm. Those intense snowfall rates combined with the gusty east winds created near whiteout conditions at times. Shea adds, "Plus you had all the wind we experienced yesterday. We had a lot of various 35 to 45 mph (wind gusts)". Large temperature swings and heavy snowfall as we approach a new season are typical for Wisconsin winters. Todd talks about the transition season, "...another signal of what it's like in the spring. Where you can go from the really nice fifty degree weather and completely clear of any snow on the ground to again, a pretty good, pretty strong storm system that dumped as much as 4-8" across the area."

The consistency of the snow was very heavy and wet causing travel headaches. Nonetheless, it was perfect packing snow to have a good ole fashioned snowball fight. Meanwhile, some local shops love the extra snow. Huber's Power Equipment and Repair has seen a boost in business in the aftermath of the storm. Paul Huber, the owner of Huber's Power Equipment and Repair says, "It's definitely been busier than some of the earlier snowfalls because it's a heavier, wet snowfall. Huber says the heavier, wet snow is sending people in with snow blowers that need repair.

The La Crosse area was running about a ten inch snowfall deficit heading into Monday evening. We have put quite a dent in that deficit with a couple more weeks of winter remaining. The snowfall led to many delays and a few closings around the area today. La Crosse was among the hardest hit areas in the state from yesterday's storm. Arcadia got eight inches, Wausau received about a half a foot of snow, while Milwaukee and Madison both got about three inches.</s>
• New York and surrounding states were gearing up for a second winter storm within a week on Wednesday.
• Between 6 and 12 inches (15 and 30 cm) of snow are forecast for New York City and the surrounding suburbs in New Jersey and Connecticut through to Thursday morning.
• The storm will spread west into Pennsylvania and up past Boston into New England where some locations may get as much as 2 feet (60 cm) of snow.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York and surrounding states were gearing up for a second winter storm within a week on Wednesday, with less wind but more snow predicted this time around as thousands remain without power from the last nor'easter.

Between 6 and 12 inches (15 and 30 cm) of snow are forecast for New York City and the surrounding suburbs in New Jersey and Connecticut through to Thursday morning, with wind gusts creating "near-white out conditions" for commuters, the National Weather Service said on Tuesday.

The storm will spread west into Pennsylvania and up past Boston into New England where some locations may get as much as 2 feet (60 cm) of snow. Snowfall may turn to wintry rain in some areas, depending on how much of the storm stays out at sea.

This week's storm is not forecast to have the hurricane-strength winds whipped up at times by the storm last week, but forecasters say strong gusts of 60 miles per hour (96.56 kmph) and accumulated snow will still be sufficient to knock down more power lines.

Some 250,000 homes and businesses in the region were still without power on Tuesday after the previous nor'easter.

The governors of New Jersey and Pennsylvania declared states of emergency, which gives them access to support from the U.S. government if needed. New Jersey's Department of Health warned of treacherous driving conditions.

NYC Emergency Management said the city had 234,000 tons of rock salt on hand and was deploying 693 salt spreaders. City officials advised residents to avoid roads and stick to mass transit instead.

Amtrak canceled some of its Wednesday trains between Washington and Boston as well as some services in Pennsylvania, New York state and other areas of the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States.
A second winter storm occurs in the East Coast of the United States, only a few days after another storm.