Deadly winter storm winding down in Northeast after causing chaos across Midwest, Great Lakes
The storm has been blamed for the death of a firefighter in Michigan, the partial collapse of a parking garage in Wisconsin and a 15-car pileup in Massachusetts.
Snowplow hit and kills pedestrian in Rochester, Minnesota
We're learning that a snowplow hit and killed a pedestrian in Rochester, Minnesota on Friday morning. FOX Weather's Max Gorden reports on the latest from Minneapolis.
A deadly coast-to-coast winter storm that brought blizzard conditions to the Upper Midwest and significant icing across the Great Lakes region began winding down Thursday after knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of utility customers and snarling traffic and air travel across the region.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, Lt. Ethan M. Quillen, a volunteer with the Paw Paw Fire Department in Michigan, died Wednesday after responding to reports of trees and wires down due to the ice storm. While there, a portion of a tree broke near the area where he and other first responders were working and fell onto power lines. That caused the power line to collapse and hit Quillen. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
A second storm-related death happened Friday morning in Rochester, Minnesota. Officials said a pedestrian died after they were struck by a snowplow. The incident is under investigation.
![Wire coated by ice in Lansing, Michigan.]()
Image 1 of 3A snapped wire is encrusted with ice Feb. 23, 2023, after an ice storm coated Lansing, Michigan. (Robert Ray)
![Ice coats tree branches in Lansing, Michigan]()
Image 2 of 3Ice coats branches of a tree in Lansing, Michigan, on Feb. 23, 2023, after an ice storm moved through the region. (Robert Ray)
![Wires coated in ice in Lansing, Michigan.]()
Image 3 of 3Ice covers wires outside a home in Lansing, Michigan, on Feb. 23, 2023, after an ice storm coated the region. (Robert Ray)
Outside of Milwaukee, a heavy wet snow was being blamed by firefighters as possibly contributing to a partial collapse of a retail center's parking garage. No one was reported to be injured in the multi-story collapse, but several vehicles were crushed by floors as they gave way. Community leaders said they dodged a bullet because no one was injured during the incident. A combination of 3-4" of sleet and snow was observed in the Glendale, Wisconsin, but the local National Weather Service office did not receive any other reports of structures collapsing due to the weight of the frozen precipitation.
Snow blamed for Wisconsin parking garage collapse
In Glendale, Wisconsin, heavy snow is being blamed by firefighters for contributing to a partial collapse of a retail center's parking garage. FOX Weather's Max Gorden on how a coast-to-coast storm impacts the Midwest.
State police in Massachusetts said ice might be to blame for a 15-vehicle pileup on the Massachusetts Turnpike near Brimfield late Thursday night. Officials said multiple tractor-trailers were among the vehicles involved in the chain-reaction crash that injured multiple people.
Crumpled vehicles are seen after a 15-vehicle pile-up on the Massachusetts Turnpike in Brimfield, Massachusetts, on Feb. 23, 2022.
(Mass State Police/Twitter)
Power outages and travel impacts
Power outages from the Plains to the Northeast topped more than 1 million customers Thursday, as the combination of ice and wind proved to be challenging for trees and power lines. Utility companies in the hard-hit states said outages could last for an extended period due to difficulties in reaching areas with ice and heavy snow.
WATCH: EAGLE ON MINNESOTA DNR'S EAGLECAM COVERED IN SNOW
(FOX Weather)
Since Wednesday, more than 2,000 flights were canceled with Minneapolis, Denver, Detroit and Chicago at the top of the big board for travel impacts.
Officials at the Minneapolis−Saint Paul International Airport said hundreds of flights had been canceled there alone and operations crews worked around the clock to keep runways and taxiways clear.
Major airlines, such as Delta and United, offered travel waivers for anyone wishing to reschedule flights.
(FOX Weather)
Impacts linger for Northeast, New England
The storm system is slowly exiting the U.S. but occasional rounds of light snow and even freezing rain will be possible into early Friday for New England and northern New York.
Winter Weather Advisories remain in effect through the morning across portions of northwestern New York, including Watertown, Rochester and Buffalo.
(FOX Weather)
Winter Weather Advisories are also in effect for portions of northeastern Connecticut, most of central and eastern Massachusetts, including Boston, and northern Rhode Island, including Providence.
The heaviest snow from what has yet to fall is expected to impact northern New England. Northern areas of Vermont, New Hampshire and most of Maine can expect to see a few more inches of snow.
Ice can also be an issue for communities in higher elevations, such as The Berkshires in Massachusetts. Drivers there are being urged to take it slow on the roads as conditions could become treacherous.
(FOX Weather)