Major winter storm due to pound US Northeast, disrupt flights


NEW YORK, Feb 12 (Reuters) - A major winter storm is expected to dump 8 to 16 inches (20 to 40 cm) of snow on parts of the U.S. Northeast on Sunday night and Monday, prompting storm warnings from upstate New York to northern Maine, the U.S. National Weather Service said.

The weather stands to disrupt travel, likely to result in major airline delays and cancellations, and slow economic activity in much of New England, AccuWeather.com reported.

"Even away from the storm, airline disruptions can occur as flight crews are displaced," AccuWeather said.

A low-pressure system tracking eastward across the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic region was due for "rapid intensification" on Sunday night and Monday morning after it passes through the New England coast.

"It will become a powerful nor'easter with blizzard conditions expected for parts of Maine as the winds become quite strong," the weather service said.

Coastal New England could experience flooding, and widespread windy conditions with potential gusts greater than 50 mph (80 kph) expected as far west as the central Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic region, the weather service said.

"At this time, the corridor expected to be in the bulls-eye of heaviest snow will be portions of central and eastern Maine, including Bangor and Bar Harbor," AccuWeather said.

The Northeast is coming off the fiercest snowstorm of the winter, which dumped more than a foot (30 cm) of snow in some areas on Thursday, causing thousands of flights to be canceled and schools to be closed. (Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Andrea Ricci)

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