Early-season winter storm hammers U.S. East Coast, millions still without power

They’re dealing with early-season snow, and lots of it, along the north-eastern coast of the United States.

An early winter storm, unlike anything seen in recent years, has cut power to more than 2.3-million homes and businesses between Maryland and Maine.

With Halloween just around the corner, officials warn it could be days before power is fully restored, leaving only the lights from pumpkins to guide the way for trick-or-treating children.

At least three deaths have already been blamed on the storm, which dumped at least 40-centimetres of snow on the New Jersey town of West Milford, where we find ABC’s Jim Dolan.

“They broke out the heavy machinery to start cleaning up the mess in northern New Jersey, so many branches fell and so many power-lines with them, that by nightfall 600,000 homes were in the dark, on the coldest night since March,” Dolan said.

Weather based state of emergencies have been declared in New Jersey along with Connecticut, Massachusetts and part of New York State.

Many areas in those states received at least 15-centimetres of snow, setting records for amount of snowfall in October in areas like New York City.

Residents in the storm’s path were cautiously optimistic Saturday.

“I can’t do anything about, I’ll stay home, enjoy the beautiful day it will turn into, and hopefully by Sunday it all melts,” said one resident.

Some of the worst effects of the storm are expected Sunday, with high-winds and more wet, heavy snow expected to fall along coastal areas.

The Canadian East Coast will likely not be spared either, with forecasters predicting up to 20-centimetres of snow for parts of southern New Brunswick.

The storm is expected to hit southwestern Nova Scotia with high winds and up to 35-millimetres of rain.

The snow storm left some passengers bound for Toronto stranded at several airports along the coat.

A GTAA spokesperson said Air Canada cancelled two flights out of New York’s LaGuardia Airport, that were initially supposed to arrive Saturday afternoon and evening.

From Newark Airport there were two cancellations from Continental Airlines.

Three American Eagle flights bound for Toronto from JFK Airport were also been cancelled due to a ground delay caused by the snowstorm.

Philadelphia International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport all reported lengthy delays Saturday.

The Canadian East Coast will likely not be spared either, with forecasters predicting up to 20-centimetres of snow for parts of southern New Brunswick.

The storm is expected to hit southwestern Nova Scotia with high winds and up to 35-millimetres of rain.

For passengers who face cancellations, they are being told to re-book with their individual airlines. For more information on cancelled flights from Pearson, click here, where you can check the status of your flight.