Northeast: Break out those snow shovels

Story highlights
• Some areas of New York might get as much as 3 feet of snow
• Blizzard warning issued for parts of Massachusetts
• Some roads closed in Ohio; those who drive could be arrested
• Storm could delay Valentine's Day deliveries


_{Vehicles inch along under near-whiteout conditions Tuesday in Washington, Illinois.}

ALBANY, New York (AP) -- Snow-laden western New York braced for another wintry onslaught Wednesday as storms closed schools, menaced motorists and knocked out power in communities from the Midwest to the Northeast.

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer activated elements of the state Army National Guard to assist in removing the massive amounts of snow in Oswego County on Lake Ontario and to prepare for other missions as needed.

Last Thursday, the governor declared a state disaster emergency for Oswego County and other areas battered by lake-effect snows since February 2.

The National Weather Service forecast accumulations between 8 and 30 inches for areas around New York, with some locales receiving as much as 3 feet.


_{At O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, hundreds of flights were canceled.}

Connecticut officials closed Bradley International Airport and all 632 state plows were scraping down highways and putting down salt as sleet and freezing rain fell.

The weather service issued a blizzard warning for Massachusetts' four westernmost counties early Wednesday, with snowfall rates that could exceed 2 inches per hour and wind gusts up to 40 mph.

In Ohio, the storms were blamed for the death of a 9-year-old girl struck by a falling tree limb, and the state highway patrol was investigating the death of a man who was driving a tractor-trailer when it ran off the road and hit a tree.

Sheriff's offices in several west, northwest and north central Ohio counties closed roads to all but emergency workers Wednesday morning, many extending bans that began Tuesday; anyone else caught driving could be arrested.


_{Jordan Wright, 8, and dad Joey Wright use a snowblower in Bartonville, Illinois.}

More than 52,000 Duke Energy customers remained without power early Wednesday in the Cincinnati area and FirstEnergy Corp. reported scattered outages in northern Ohio. Thousands also had been plunged in the dark Tuesday in central Ohio.

Schools across the state remained closed Wednesday for a second day, many exceeding the five days allowed for bad weather or other emergencies, meaning they'll be required to make up the days.

Classes also were canceled at several college campuses, including Ohio State, and Cleveland Municipal Court was closed Wednesday. In Columbus, supervisors were told they could allow nonessential employees to report to work two hours late.

The storm also threatened to put a deep freeze on some Valentine's Day deliveries.

"People have to understand, we can't do it if it gets really bad. Other than that, we'll kill ourselves to get it delivered," said florist Dan Filer, whose shop in suburban Cleveland was double-wrapping flower arrangements to protect them from the weather.

Snow coupled with high winds made many central Illinois roads impassable Tuesday -- even for county snow plows. There were blizzard conditions in the Springfield and Champaign areas, with winds gusting to 40 mph or higher, the National Weather Service said.

"It's very dangerous, and drivers should not be out in these conditions unless you absolutely have to," said Mike Claffey of the Illinois Department of Transportation.

The snow also disrupted traffic in the air, as at least two major airlines -- United and American -- canceled up to half their Wednesday morning flights at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.

Wendy Abrams, city aviation department spokeswoman, cautioned all travelers to expect delays and cancellations through Wednesday.

In Indiana, most flights out of Indianapolis International Airport were canceled Tuesday. About 7,650 Duke Energy customers remained without power at midnight, most of them in the Bloomington area.

Communities in northern Pennsylvania were expecting more than 12 inches of snow before the storm clears out Wednesday.

Pittsburgh got its first blast from the storm Tuesday morning as more than 2 inches of snow forced schools in the region to close. The Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium shut down, too, and officials there weren't planning to reopen until Thursday.

Crews around New Jersey on Tuesday salted roads and rail platforms in anticipation of the storm, which had brought some freezing rain, sleet and snow to much of the state by early evening. Numerous school districts in the state canceled classes for Wednesday.

_{Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.}