Winter storm hit the east coast this weekend
From Friday evening to Saturday, a strong northeasterly was forecast for the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, a storm expected to bring blizzards across coastal areas from Virginia to Maine. About the storm on the east coast, AccuWeather chief meteorologist Jon Porter said it will be “a dangerous, life-threatening storm.” Officials also said windblown snow could make travel “almost impossible”. Forecasters say the storm could shed more than three feet of snow and up to 90 mph winds as it pounds eastern New England. The storm is classified as a nor’easter, named for the direction the winds blow as the system moves along the coast. It is also likely to become a “bomb cyclone,” a storm that rapidly intensifies as it undergoes a “bombogenese.”
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Nor’easter is rocking travelers’ plans across the country
The formidable Northeast expected to hit the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast this weekend will rock travel plans as more than 5,400 U.S. flights were canceled between Friday and Sunday. Airlines canceled more than 1,450 flights in, to or out of the U.S. on Friday and delayed more than 5,500, according to FlightAware’s flight-tracking website. The storm also hit many Saturday flights, with more than 3,450 U.S. flights canceled as of 3:30 a.m. ET. Hundreds of flights have already been canceled on Sunday. Travelers should check their flight status before going to the airport and make sure their flight is covered by travel waivers that allow them to rebook at no extra cost. USA TODAY senior travel reporter Dawn Gilbertson notes that there is “a mismatch between what passengers think they owe and what airlines owe them when flight plans go haywire.” Some rules are dictated by the United States Department of Transportation. Others depend on individual airline policies.
NFL Conference Championships: Who’s Going to the Super Bowl?
The NFL has only four teams left, and the Super Bowl entrants will be decided in Sunday’s championship games. The Kansas City Chiefs host the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC title game (3:00 p.m. ET, CBS) and the San Francisco 49ers face the Los Angeles Rams (6:30 p.m. ET, Fox) for the NFC crown. Kansas City aims to reach the Super Bowl for its third straight season, while the Bengals hope for their first trip since 1988. The Rams and 49ers have both recently won the NFC, Los Angeles losing to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 53 and San Francisco a year later against the Chiefs.
‘We need to talk about Cosby’ premieres
The new four-part docuseries about Bill Cosby screens Saturday at the Sundance Film Festival and premieres on Showtime Sunday (10 p.m. ET/PT). Directed by comedian/CNN host W. Kamau Bell, “Cosby” offers a compellingly nuanced take on the actor and stand-up comedy formerly hailed as “America’s Dad,” but now an accused serial sex offender whose alleged crimes took place even as he entertained and inspired millions and stood up for black Americans. Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt responded to the docuseries saying that “Cosby vehemently denies all charges against him,” complaining that a “professional documentary” should instead focus on what he calls “prosecution violations… He wants our nation to be.” is what it proclaims itself to be: a democracy.”
Australian Open: Barty ends country’s drought; men hunt for history
World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty defeated No. 27 Danielle Collins in straight sets 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) in Saturday’s Australian Open women’s final to win the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup. Barty is the first Australian to win the Grand Slam in Melbourne since Chris O’Neil in 1978. This comes after Barty became the first Australian woman to advance to the final of the first Grand Slam of the year since Wendy Turnbull in 1980. Melbourne is Barty’s third Grand Slam singles title after winning the 2019 French Open and Wimbledon in 2021. As for the men, after all the talk of Novak Djokovic potentially becoming the first man to win 21 Grand Slam titles thanks to a great 2021 campaign, no 6-place Rafael Nadal can beat him to the record with a win in the men’s final on Sunday. He will play against No. 2 Daniil Medvedev of Russia, who is looking for his second consecutive major after winning the 2021 US Open.
Contributions: The Associated Press