Winter Storm Blanche Moves into New England, Leaving Hundreds Without Power in Maine

Winter Storm Blanche moved into New England on Thursday after leaving behind feet of snow in the West and northern Plains.

The snowstorm clobbered Maine with more than a foot of snow, and while it was far from a record-breaking winter weather event, hundreds of homes and businesses lost power.

(MORE: Check the Forecast for Winter Storm Blanche)

The highest total from Blanche was estimated at 62 inches in the upper elevations near Elk Mountain, Wyoming.

Here's what we know about the storm's impacts.

Maine

Top snowfall total: 17 inches, near Fort Kent

Some 2,000 customers were without power across the state Thursday as Blanche dumped more than a foot of snow in some areas. Those outages ranged from Hancock County all the way to the extreme north of Maine, according to the Associated Press.

Aroostook County, which spans extreme northern Maine, closed many of its schools and government offices Thursday due to the storm, according to the Bangor Daily News. This, of course, thrilled the children of the county who were lucky enough to pick up a rare snow day.

"The first thing they did when they got up this morning was turn on the radio and get all excited that they had no school," Katherine Keenan, a mother of two who lives in Houlton, told the Bangor Daily News.

Areas near the Canadian border received some of the biggest snow totals from this winter storm, but locations nearest to the major highways received far less. As a result, travel was mostly normal along Interstate 95 across the state Thursday.

North Dakota

Top snowfall total: 24 inches, near Van Hook Park

Some schools were canceled again Wednesday in North Dakota as Blanche kept the state in its snowy grip.

Interstate 94 was closed Tuesday evening between Mandan and Dickinson, according to the North Dakota DOT. No travel was advised on most roads in central North Dakota because the compacted snow was making roads slick, but by Wednesday, the road was reopened.

With more than a foot of snow on the ground in parts of the state on Monday, Gov. Jack Dalrymple issued an emergency evacuation order of the Dakota Access Pipeline protest camps on lands managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, according to the governor's office. Citing the winter storm and the expectation of continued cold temperatures as reasons for the order, Dalrymple's declaration forbids protesters from returning to the camp indefinitely.

(MORE: Yes, There's a 'Blizzard Alley,' and It's in This Region)

In an interview with the West Fargo Pioneer, governor spokesman Jeff Zent said the state does not plan to remove people from the site.

"We’re not going to go in and make arrests and forcibly remove everybody that’s on that site," Zent told the Pioneer. "We fully expect the federal government to take the lead on the management of their property."

A travel alert was issued for the central part of the state Monday as Blanche began dumping an expected foot or more of snow on cities like Minot and Bismarck. The North Dakota Department of Transportation asked motorists to be careful on roadways that were likely to become slick and dangerous, and some schools started late Monday, according to the AP.

Bismarck's 8.7 inches of snow Monday broke a 111-year-old daily record, the AP also reported. This led to dozens of crashes in and around the city, the report added.

South Dakota

Top snowfall total: 36 inches, near Cheyenne Crossing

Whiteout conditions made traveling along Interstate 90 so dangerous Tuesday afternoon that officials closed a stretch of the freeway between Spearfish and Rapid City in western South Dakota, according to the state's Department of Transportation. The news came after parts of the state had already received more than two feet of snow from Blanche.

I-90 was reopened Wednesday but was in poor condition in some areas.

Many other roads remained slippery due to snow and ice in western and central South Dakota through Tuesday evening. In some areas, plows were removed from roads until conditions improved, KDLT.com reported.

Black Hills State University in Spearfish closed early Tuesday, according to KOTA-TV.

California

Top snowfall total: 24 inches, multiple locations

Yuba City couple Rory and Susan Holloter went for a drive Saturday morning in El Dorado County, but more than 24 hours later, they texted family members to say they were stuck in the snow, the county's sheriff's office told KCRA.com. The family received multiple texts from Susan, but they were concerned about the couple's whereabouts, especially Rory, the report added.

"We don't know what's happened to him either because he left the vehicle and he hiked away from the vehicle," Susan's sister, Sondra Winberry, told KCRA. "We don't know if he's able to get back."

After suspending the search Sunday night, officials went back out Monday morning to look for the couple, the report also said. On Monday afternoon, they were both found in good condition, according to the Sacramento Bee. They had a sleeping bag, food and water, Susan told family members and reporters following the rescue.

The news out of Sequoia National Park was much worse. The body of 41-year-old Vince Scalise of Phoenix was found Monday near Panther Creek and the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River, according to the AP. He was supposed to return from a backpacking trip on Wednesday, but the National Park Service was notified Saturday night that Scalise still hadn't been seen, the AP also reported.

The cause of death has not yet been determined, but Scalise was found in an area that received rain and snow, and temperatures fell below freezing, the report added.

Colorado

Top snowfall total: 28 inches, near Wolf Creek Pass

More than a foot of snow fell from Blanche in Colorado's mountains, quickly escalating the risk of avalanches in some areas.

The state's Department of Transportation closed Loveland Pass Sunday evening, citing the possibility of avalanches, according to the Denver Post. Later Sunday night, I-70's eastbound lanes were closed in Glenwood Canyon because of crashes, the report added.

(MORE: Weather-Related Car Accidents Are Deadlier Than Tornadoes, Hurricanes and Floods)

"Everybody gets in a hurry to get home," State Trooper Tim Sutherland told the Denver Post. "Drivers get up on the car in front of them. If that car in front breaks or loses control on ice? If you’re back, you see what that car’s going to do. It’ll give you time to react."

Denver was expected to receive little to no snow from Blanche.

Utah

Top snowfall total: 41 inches, Alta

Snow fell on northern Utah for much of Monday, and parts of Salt Lake County received up to 2 inches by the morning rush hour, the AP reported. In Ogden, up to 4 inches of snowfall was reported Monday morning, the report added.

In central Utah, Interstate 15 was closed Sunday near Scipio due to heavy snow, according to the Deseret News. The Utah Highway Patrol said traffic was stalled for hours on some snow-covered roads Sunday, the report added.

Although no roads were closed Monday, the state Department of Transportation advised or required all drivers to have snow tires, chains or four-wheel drive in some areas, such as canyons or passes.

Idaho

Top snowfall total: 13.5 inches, near Pocatello

Multiple crashes were reported on the Gem State's roadways as heavy snow made travel dangerous over the weekend, according to East Idaho News. Hazardous travel was expected to remain a problem Monday and Tuesday, the report added.

"Winter driving conditions are in effect for Eastern Idaho. Idaho State Police encourage motorists to use caution and increase travel time to reach their destinations," Idaho State Police said in an advisory released Monday morning.

Wyoming

Top snowfall total: 62 inches, near Elk Mountain

Although many roads remained snowy across the state on Monday, no major highway closures were reported. Several roads in areas that typically receive the most snowfall have already been closed for the winter, according to KOWB.

Blizzard conditions were reported Sunday morning and afternoon in Arlington, according to the National Weather Service.