Strong Winds, Snowfall Batter Northeast Areas

A blustery Northeastern storm that kicked up 75 m.p.h. winds Wednesday dumped a foot of snow in upstate New York and drenched Maine with record rainfall.

The National Weather Service said the foul weather in the sparsely populated Adirondack Mountains in northern New York closed schools and knocked out electricity to some 25,000 customers as heavy snow weighed down power lines.

“Low pressure drifted northward this morning into New Hampshire and Maine, pulling colder air behind it and producing heavy snow over northeast New York state and northern parts of Vermont,” forecaster Dan McCarthy said.

The snowstorm was blamed for a flurry of minor accidents and at least one fatal crash. In Franklin County, N.Y., Gary Recore, 46, of Malone was killed when his car slid off Route 30 and hit a utility pole, deputies said.

15-Inch Snowfall Reported

The weather service said up to 15 inches of snow had fallen in Spruce Hill, N.Y., while 11 inches was reported at Malone and 9 inches at Lake Placid. Up to 12 inches of snow was reported at Tupper Lake and Johnsburg.

Route 3 between Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake was blocked by tree limbs that snapped under the weight of the snow. The snow-covered roads and power outages forced several schools to close.

In Vermont, up to 10 inches of snow fell between Starksboro and Waitsfield, with 8 inches near Hancock and Brandon Gap and Jay Peak, weather officials said.