Chaos as snowstorm sweeps across the Plains and Midwest: Live

Hundreds of thousands of homes in Maine were left without power on Sunday night after a storm dumped more than two feet of snow on the state.

Around 120,000 homes and businesses were left without power in Maine on Sunday night, according to PowerOutage.us.

Central Maine said many power lines were grounded across the state after the storm blew through, with the utility company responding to more than 700 emergency calls on Sunday for issues including blocked roads and downed lines.

The company added that although it had restored power to more than 50 per cent of customers impacted by the storm as of Sunday night, restoration efforts in severely impacted coastal areas could last through Wednesday.

Winds of over 50 miles per hour are expected to hit the Midwest US and Northern Plains through Monday and Tuesday, causing power outages and travel chaos.

“Heavy snow and gusty winds will produce areas of blowing and drifting snow and possible blizzard conditions Sunday into Monday,” the National Weather Service has warned.

Power outages are expected across the region, with heavy, wet snow and falling trees hitting power lines.

Strong winds and heavy snow may also cause travel chaos, the NWS added, warning that travel could be “near impossible at times” in affected areas.

A powerful winter storm is expected to bring heavy snow and blizzard conditions in the Plains and Upper Midwest on Monday and Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

According to The Washington Post, here are some of the snowfall projections expected across the country this week:

• Dupree, South Dakota.: 12 inches
• Wausau, Wisconsin: 11 inches
• Eau Claire, Wisconsin: 10 inches
• Minnetonka, Minnesota: 7.4 inches
• Bloomington, Minnesota: 7.5 inches
• St. Cloud, Minnesota: 7.1 inches
• Bismarck, North Dakota: 3.2 inches

A powerful winter storm is currently moving through the US Midwest and Northern Plains.

The National Weather Service said rain and snow will continue through Tuesday with, three to five inches of snow falling across west central and central Minnesota.

Snowfall is expected to taper off quickly to the south and east, the agency added,

Heading into Tuesday and Wednesday night, much of the US will see much cooler air. However, the NWS has warned this could lead to a flash freeze scenario after a couple of days.

The National Weather Service has issued blizzard warnings from northern Colorado and Kansas through to parts of Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota on Monday, with between two and ten inches of snow expected to fall in some areas.

“Snow may accumulate at 1 to 2 inches per hour in heavier bands,” the weather service said.

Strong winds could also cause widespread power outages, with falling trees hitting power lines.

It comes after a storm dumped more than two feet of snow on areas including Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont last week. Following last week’s storm, around 160,000 homes and businesses were still without power across the Northeast as of late Sunday night, according to PowerOutage.us.

A giant tree fell on Fifth Avenue on Saturday, crushing a car amid heavy rainfall in New York.

More than 3.5 inches of rain fell in Central Park over the weekend, causing motorists to become trapped on flooded roads.

At least one car was crushed by a falling tree not far from the park, on Fifth Avenue, while three other cars were damaged.

The tree crunched the roof of a red sedan on Saturday night after it fell across the length of Fifth Avenue between East 94th Street to East 93rd Street. The roadway had to be closed for most of the night.

The city’s Department of Parks & Recreation dispatched a crew to remove the tree.

NYC Emergency Management cautioned people to be on alert for the potential for black ice after overnight temperatures dipped below freezing.

“New Yorkers are advised to take caution when driving due to the increased risk of black ice on roadways across the city,” its X account posted.

According to the National Weather Service, 16 states are currently under winter eater alerts. Some parts of the country are expected to get several inches of snow while others will be pummeled with rain.