Massive power outages as Northeast blizzard turns deadly

A blizzard predicted to be of epic proportions is pounding the Northeast, already bringing more than a foot of snow to some areas as 40 million residents in its path brace for the worst.

As of 5:20 a.m. ET, more than 650,000 homes and businesses had lost electricity as wet snow, freezing rain and howling winds caused havoc.

More than 28 inches of snow has fallen in central Connecticut, and areas of southeastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire stand at 2 feet or more.

And the worst is not expected until later Saturday, the National Weather Service warned. Blizzard warnings are in effect for the New York City metro area and many coastal sections of New England. Hurricane winds of up to 75 mph are also possible.

As part of a new effort to name winter storms, the Weather Channel dubbed the blizzard "Nemo."

Finding Nemo hasn't been an issue: it's been leaving noticeable havoc. Police in New York say hundreds of cars have gotten stuck on the Long Island Expressway due to the blizzard conditions and dozens of disabled motorists are still on the road. The Long Island Expressway and Sunrise Highway are both shut down in Suffolk County except for emergency vehicles. The snow also caused a 19-car, four-hour pileup on I-295 near Cumberland, Maine. Several people had minor injuries, police said. In Vermont, which could get 4 to 16 inches of snow, the storm was being blamed for a series of crashes on I-89 in Bolton and South Burlington. Two people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

The storm is being blamed on at least four deaths in New York and Canada.

More than 5,200 flights in the region had been canceled through Saturday, according to flight-tracking service FlightAware. New York City's three major airports and Boston's Logan Airport are closed. Flights were also canceled at Toronto's Pearson International Airport, where nearly a foot of snow was forecast. Amtrak suspended southbound service out of Boston and northbound service out of New York City on Friday afternoon.

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