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Slap of 'springtime' buries the Northeast

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published April 6, 2007

CONCORD, N.H. - A spring storm brought more than a foot of snow to parts of the upper Northeast, closing schools, tangling traffic and knocking out power to more than 180,000 homes and businesses on Thursday.

At least one death was blamed on the wintry weather, which began late Wednesday and was expected to continue through the weekend.

The flakes fell at a rate of up to 2 inches per hour, and by early Thursday, areas of Maine already had nearly a foot and a half of wet, heavy snow, and central New Hampshire had 16 inches in spots. Up to 24 inches fell in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Vermont had as many as 13 inches, and upstate New York had several inches as well.

The spring snow followed a winter that was often unusually warm.

"We had Easter on December 25th. People had crocuses coming out and blooms on bushes. And now we have Christmas, with all this snow," said meteorologist Butch Roberts of the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine.

Maine baseball fans shared in the misery as the Portland Sea Dogs season opener was postponed for at least a day. The team made the best of it, dotting the field with 11 snowmen in jerseys and caps - nine players, a batter and an ump. It was the second time since 1994 that opening day was delayed by late snow.

In Manchester, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats canceled Thursday night's home opener but put out the call for fans to help clear the turf for a game today. Volunteers who show up with shovels get free tickets.

The 24 inches that fell in Negaunee Township, Mich., broke a 1974 record of 12 inches, said meteorologist Jason Alumbaugh.

Snowfall in April is not unusual, but the volume of snow was rare. Portland's 11.6 inches tied a record for its fifth-biggest April snowfall.

Jon Blanchard, spending his first night back in Portland after a winter in Florida, was awakened Thursday by the sound of tree limbs snapping under the snow's weight. "I hate it. That's why I spent the whole winter in Florida."

[Last modified April 6, 2007, 01:36:23]