Snow covers New England and mountains in California

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Winter Weather Blankets United States, Bringing Snow, Rain, and Strong Winds

Despite the calendar saying spring has arrived, winter weather made a strong comeback across the United States on Saturday, as both New England and California were hit with a mix of rain, heavy snow, and strong winds.

In the western part of the country, a winter storm warning was issued for Sunday morning in areas of the Sierra Nevada. On Mammoth Mountain near the California-Nevada line, a wind gust of 91 miles per hour (147 kilometers per hour) was recorded. In addition, about a foot (30 centimeters) of snow fell north of Lake Tahoe on Saturday morning.

Parts of northern Arizona, the Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, and the New Mexico border also saw a winter storm warning issued through Sunday night. In those areas, up to a half-foot (15 cm) of snow was expected in elevated areas along with winds of up to 40 mph (64 km/h).

The National Weather Service warned of a significant winter storm moving through central parts of the country through Monday, forecasting extensive snowfall and strong winds in areas of the northern plains and northern North Central region.

In Maine, the National Weather Service cautioned residents about travel risks due to a layer of ice forming on top of the snow and hail. Meanwhile, in Connecticut, New York City, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, the storm was forecasted to bring primarily rain.

New York City faced a rain and wind warning until 2 a.m. on Sunday. The storm caused flooding that impacted subway service and closed part of the Cross Island parking lot in Queens. Police also warned drivers about water rafting on city streets. The storm led to hundreds of flight delays and cancellations at New York-area airports.

The Mount Washington Avalanche Center issued an avalanche alert for the Presidential Range in the White Mountains until 7 a.m. on Sunday. The storm was expected to move out of the New England area by Sunday morning.