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New Northeast storm may complicate recovery

Augusta, Maine

Gore visits snow-struck Maine

January 15, 1998
Web posted at: 12:55 p.m. EST (1755 GMT)

(CNN) -- Vice President Al Gore was touring storm-ravaged Maine Thursday, just ahead of a major winter storm that was expected to dump more ice and snow on the region as it moves up the East Coast.

Storm warnings were posted as far north as New England and as far south as Maryland, where sleet and snow flurries already had forced schools to close in several counties. A winter weather advisory was in effect for the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., metropolitan areas, and some schools and offices closed in anticipation of traffic problems.

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A L S O :

Detailed map of northeastern U.S. and southeastern Canada
U.S. Northeast satellite images
U.S. Northeast radar images

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Last week's freezing rains, which shut down much of the region six days ago, hit Maine the hardest. Fifteen of its 16 counties have been declared federal disaster areas.

Despite massive clean-up efforts, much of the state appeared to be in disrepair, with trees broken in pieces and crumpled on the ground.

More than 1 million people in four states -- Maine, Vermont, New York and New Hampshire -- and two Canadian provinces were still without electricity after witnessing what forecasters call the worst ice storm this century. The Central Maine Power Co. said about 230,000 people remained without electricity Thursday.

Gore arrives in Maine

After a nine-day blackout in southern Quebec, the number of homes without electricity dropped from 900,000 Wednesday to 390,000 Thursday. Some 65,000 homes and businesses were still without power in rural eastern Ontario. At the peak of the ice storm, about 3 million Canadians in five provinces were without power.

Hydro-Quebec said it had restored a second major transmission line for Montreal; the city normally has five. Stores and other businesses were asked to limit their hours, opening after 9 a.m. and closing before 4 p.m.

Cold inspires innovation, generosity

For those still shivering in the cold, the lack of power inspired innovation and acts of generosity.

Diesel locomotives were removed from their tracks in the Montreal suburb of Boucherville to provide power to the town hall, clinic and high school, which was serving as an emergency shelter.

In Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, a city south of Montreal, road construction worker Paul Jourdenais spent his nights refueling dozens of generators powering heat for homes and businesses, and slept at his boss's home during the day.

"In times like these, you discover you have many friends. Neighbors used to ignoring each other start helping each other," he said.

Trouble for farmers

In upstate New York, bitter cold hindered attempts to restore power to 87,000 customers. And there was bad news for farmers.

Milk production in northern New York has been cut in half after last week's devastating ice storm, said state Agricultural Commissioner Donald Davidsen.

He said 184 generators were on their way to farmers unable to milk their cows, because they rely on automated milking systems powered by electricity.

The state also has lost thousands of acres of maple trees. Maple producer Earl Parker said he lost 250 acres of trees that his family had owned for more than 100 years.

However, there may be good news for New Hampshire maple syrup producers.

Cheshire and Sullivan counties, spared the worst of the storm that hit harder farther north, produce 60 percent of the state's maple syrup, and producers there could see prices increase for their product if Quebec doesn't recover quickly, state Agriculture Commissioner Steve Taylor said.

New Hampshire Gov. Jeanne Shaheen has asked for federal disaster relief to help her state recover. An estimated 2,100 residents remained without power.

Outsiders surprised by bitter cold

Utility workers who came to New England from as far away as Kauai, Hawaii, struggled to deal with the cold as they helped reconnect power lines.

Hawaiian lineman Chris Acoba, who arrived in New England wearing his usual attire -- Bermuda shorts and a Hawaiian shirt -- quickly donned insulated overalls, thick boots and gloves. "And to think I was surfing on Thursday," he said. "This is cold. This is really cold. It really gives you an appreciation for the beach."

Crews from Pennsylvania also found themselves unprepared for the cold, as did North Carolina and Virginia crews.

"Doing this while I feel cold, I feel really good," said Hawaiian lineman Hipo Pincena.

"When we're home and there's a power outage, well, the air conditioners don't work. But here when the power goes off, there's no heat and you can die. It makes us feel that we're really doing something very important."

The ice storm and its aftermath have been blamed for more than two dozen deaths in the United States and Canada.

Correspondent Gary Tuchman and Reuters contributed to this report.

Forecast information:

• Montreal
• Maine
• Vermont
• New Hampshire
• New York
• Washington, D.C.
• Maryland

Related stories:

• Bitter cold grips Northeast as thousands remain without power - January 14, 1998
• Ice storm keeps region paralyzed - January 13, 1998
• Bitter cold in Northeast adds insult to injury - January 12, 1998
• New winter blast headed for Canada, U.S. - January 12, 1998
• From Vermont to Canada -- a vast, icy danger zone - January 11, 1998
• Thaw begins, but power still out - January 10, 1998
• Ice storm devastates parts of Canada, U.S. Northeast - January 9, 1998

Related sites:

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• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  • National Weather Service
• Canadian Meteorological Centre
• Portland Press Herald: "Generators keep Maine dairy farms running "
• Montreal Gazette: "Worst behind us"
• The Conway Daily Sun: "Lineman winning power war"
• Disaster Relief from DisasterRelief.org

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