Plains Brace For Snow, Northeast Digs Out

New Storm Approaches Midwest, Threatening Power Restoration, As Northeast Recovers

(CBS/AP)  Lisa Wofford had just moved out of her apartment and was planning to move her family into a house when a winter storm knocked a power pole onto the new digs, preventing her from closing on it.

By Friday, the newly homeless Wofford was on her fifth day at an American Red Cross shelter, and an approaching snowstorm cast even more uncertainty on her future.

"I'm praying for no snow. I don't want to be here any longer," Wofford said before starting in on her lunch of pasta and green beans. "I've slept, like, seven hours since Monday. I'm running on faith."

The second wintry blast could complicate efforts to restore power to the more than 280,000 homes and businesses in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri still blacked out after the first storm put a million customers in the dark at its height this week.

That storm, which coated much of the Plains in ice before moving dumping snow on the Northeast, has killed at least 38 people, mostly in traffic accidents. It has been blamed for 23 deaths in Oklahoma alone.

The next storm was predicted to bring 2 to 6 inches of snow to parts of Kansas and Oklahoma, said Ken Harding, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

The service issued winter weather watches for the northwest two-thirds of Oklahoma from Friday afternoon through Saturday morning. By late Friday afternoon, snow was already falling on the outskirts of Oklahoma City.

An Xcel Energy serviceman working to restore power in an Oklahoma City neighborhood peppered by toppled trees said Friday that he expected the new storm to hamper recovery efforts, but not create massive new power failures.

"All this kind of work is safety-based, so any time you get another weather aspect, then there goes another safety factor," said Scott Falkner, of Clovis, N.M.

Weather Service meteorologist Pete Snyder agreed with that assessment.

"For crews that are out there trying to restore power, it'd be more of a headache," Snyder said.

The storm also threatened to steal manpower from efforts to clear fallen trees. Dan Crossland, a public works official in Tulsa, said almost every city crew removing downed tree limbs will be spun off to clear the streets when the second storm comes.

"I intend to stay on 12-hour shifts until every street is clear," Crossland said. "These guys are dragging."

The Kansas National Guard continued to deliver generators and supplies to communities, knowing more would be needed.

The first storm changed from ice to snow as it blew into the Northeast, dumping 2 inches to a foot across the region and catching many municipalities by surprise, even after it wreaked havoc to the west.

Some commuters in Boston spent eight hours driving home Thursday evening, and public school buses were still dropping off students at 11 p.m.

In parts of Massachusetts, snow fell at a rate of three inches an hour, reports CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller.

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick defended the state's storm response Friday after meeting with public safety, transportation and emergency officials.

"People were asked to leave early, and they didn't," Patrick said. "What would have helped, I think in this case, would have been a more uniform early release."

As the snow fell, traffic on Rhode Island highways backed up past the Massachusetts state line, and about 300 vehicles got stuck or collided with others.

Providence Mayor David Cicilline ordered an investigation into why dozens of school buses got stranded on city streets.

But while the worst was over in the Northeast, at least for now, Plains residents continued to cope with maintaining the basics.

Bill Weaver, a Tulsa resident who moved here two years ago to escape hurricane-battered New Orleans, waited in his frigid home Friday for the electricity to be turned back on, deadpanning: "So, here we are."

He had two gas-log fireplaces going, warming about a third of his home.

"It doesn't keep the showers warm," Weaver said. "It's cold baths."

Wofford hoped the new storm would blow over and allow her to get back to house-hunting after the weekend. She was trying to stay positive and said her spirits were lifted by volunteers who she knew didn't have electricity at home, either.

"To me, this experience, you're going back to what Christmas is really about," Wofford said. "Everything is real commercialized and 'I want this iPod. I want this.'

"We want basic human needs. It's getting back to love, and that's what's beautiful about the whole thing."

How long will we have to argue with fools who think every snowstorm is proof against global warming?

[david1737]

Climate Change, Enough said.

[michellem99-2009]

Yep Maine is part of the US of A. I call Maine God''s country. I love Maine.. When I first moved west years ago people ask where I be from I say Maine. They go what country yer from.I say Maine US of A. I had the heavy down east accent. With TV and the places I have lived I kinda lost the accent. Be safe and careful in the nasty weather.

[raskal_2]

This is simple stuff, When mother nature sleeps we have
good weather.When she awakens, she congers storms and plays skittles with our trailer parks. Now mankind has been blowing smoke into her face for a 100 or so years.

What do you think is going to happen?

[raskal_2]

Posts by people like what I have just read are the basic reason science is so easily ignored. Global Warming''s most alarming effect is that of sudden weather change. It can easily take the shape of storm severity that overwhelms human infrastructure and large tracks become uninhabitable. Global Warming doesn''t say specifically that it has to get hot. It says that the effect of global warming will be to change the pattern of weather patterns and ocean currents that control weather and it''s severity. Is Global warming ever going to happen ? dude...It''s already here.

[enlightenu]

blancadebree,
nevermind I take it back

[enlightenu]

blancadebree,
you win!! You just won the Dumbest Post of 2007 Award. Congratulations

[mbcsmith]

Global warming alarmists take heed. Turn up the heat or you''ll freeze to death!

[blancadebree]

This is obvious proof that global warming doesn''t exist! No matter how much "science" you throw at it, if it still snows somewhere at some time, there is no global warming.

http://blancadebree.blogspot.com

[gslinger3]

These reports cannot be true, we are in the midst of global warming! algore, please come and help us debunk these vicious and unfounded rumours about a this mythological snowstorm in the northeast! CBS must be infiltrated with a couple neocon, evil republicans to have allowed this propoganda to be published!

[birdsarewild]

The Blimp is in the air and I hope the storm does not hamper it.

[jim_gold]

There''s a good tips story up on outdoorlife.com.

[jim_gold]

Everybody has to be careful in these storms. Remember what happened to that guy from CNET. There''s good tips here on how to prevent that from happening to your family:

http://www.outdoorlife.com/article.jsp?ID=21010837

[rushlimpdrug]

More evidence of global warming. Just ask Al Bore.
Posted by Extremophil

I sure am looking forward to "global warming"
As a retired person living on a fixed income,
I could use the help with my heating bills.
Posted by skykk at 10:24 AM

Two idiots using one article to prove a point. skykk as a retired person you have one foot in the grave. Don''t worry you won''t freeze where you''re going, thanks to global warming.

[michellem99-2009]

I have senior parents in Maine and I do worry about them. Dad lost power and he is on oxygen 24/7. I am 53. Growing in Maine it snowed and got below zero many day and nights when I was a child. That was COLD. It snowed and in was mighty deep. Years ago they closed school IF there was no heat in the building or something major. They knew how to drive in it safely. Yer have no idea yer young ones today. We used to build snowmen,snow forts, etc. That was in the 60s and 70s. I don''t miss the snow. It sure cleaned the air so our elders told us. It is sure pretty. The main thing is be safe.

[cmp271]

Its winter, people, winter...you shovel snow in winter, you drive slower, in winter. we live in the north, its winter!!!!

We used to have winters like this, its about time they came back.

[ejcspau]

I think there is a state called Maine in the Northeast United States as well. Most people forget and think we are part of Canada. Snow is normal here in Maine. It''s called winter!

[extremophil]

More evidence of global warming. Just ask Al Bore.

[squidly8]

I live in northern CT. We have about 12-15". It really isn''t a big deal. It was beautiful last night about 8 last night - quiet and still and relatively warm (25). I am shoveled out today and off to work after I get my daughter on the bus.....

Exactly mythoughtsr, it is a snow storm in winter, nothing more.

[mythoughtsr]

Wild weather fluctuations are predicted as part of the climate change. More extreme weather you stupid fuque!

Posted by Terrapin78

LOL! A snowstorm in December. Now there''s a wild weather "fluctuation" HAHAHAHA Next thing you know, it''ll be hot in the South in August!