Northeast Goes 15th Round of Winter Storms

The 15th storm to pound the northeastern United States this winter dumped more than two feet of snow, snarled air and commuter traffic and cut off New Jersey island towns from the mainland Thursday.

Heavy snow fell in New England and portions of northern New York and eastern Pennsylvania the day after the storm made its way up the Atlantic Coast. Burdett, N.Y., had 27 inches of snow on the ground Thursday, while Lock Haven and Lovelton in Pennsylvania each received 24 inches.

New York City received another five inches of snow, putting the season’s total at 50 inches, the highest snowfall figure in 16 years.

High storm tides eroded beaches and cut off access to barrier islands on the New Jersey shore, leaving Ocean City and other popular summer resort towns cut off. The tides also flooded downtown Atlantic City and closed many roads near Delaware beaches.

New York area commuter train lines experienced delays of up to an hour Thursday, with one New Jersey line shut down by power problems.

Air travelers were among the hardest hit. The New York area’s three major airports, La Guardia, Kennedy and Newark, all experienced flight delays and cancellations. About half of the flights were canceled at Philadelphia International Airport, and periodic runway closures were reported at Boston’s Logan Airport because of the storm.

Dozens of minor accidents were reported in the Boston area as near-whiteout conditions blanketed major highways. Schools were closed across Massachusetts and many universities canceled classes. The National Weather Service said up to eight inches of snow was expected.

The previous winter storms have dumped a total of 87.3 inches of snow on Boston, and another heavy snowfall would break the record of 89.2 inches set during the winter of 1947-48, officials said.