Wegmans, Kodak feel effects of Mid-Atlantic storm
As the second large winter storm of the week whips through the Mid-Atlantic states today, the Rochester region is receiving only a taste of wintry weather.
But the storm, which is bringing blizzard conditions and up to two feet of snow to parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and New York, will affect air travel locally.
More than 60 flights to and from the Greater Rochester International Airport today were canceled because of the storm. Most of the canceled flights are between Rochester and Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington and New York City.
“This storm has had a huge impact on us,” said airport director David Damelio. “The question is, will the impact last just for today, or continue for several days? It’s really too early to know.”
In the meantime, Damelio said travelers traveling to or through the snow zone today should check with the airlines before heading to the airport.
And while the Mid-Atlantic region is measuring snow by the foot, as of 4 p.m. today, only 0.2 inches of snow had been recorded at the Rochester airport for the day. Not much more is expected Thursday, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo. “Snow showers are likely tonight, but there will not be a huge accumulation — around an inch — and it’s kind of a lake effect event, so it may vary from location to location,” said meteorologist Kirk Apffel. “On Thursday, we can expect scattered snow showers. The chance of precipitation is about 50 percent. “We’re dodging a big storm for sure.”
However, roads from Baltimore to New York City were so treacherous that even plow drivers pulled over. The streets of downtown Philadelphia, also hard-hit by the last storm, were nearly vacant as people stayed home.
Wegmans Food Markets Inc. and its stores along the Atlantic seaboard are getting pummeled by snow and also by demand, with surges in pre-storm shopping. Emptied produce sections have been common.
Sixteen Wegmans stores in the storm-hit areas closed early today because of the weather.
Six out of the 13 Pennsylvania stores, all seven New Jersey stores, one of seven Virginia stores and the one Maryland store all closed at either 4 or 5 p.m. today.
Wegmans spokeswoman Jo Natale said weather and driving conditions are so bad, employees can’t get to work, and “customers aren’t there, either.”
Natale said Wegmans decided to close those stores “for the safety of our employees and customers who may attempt to travel to the store.”
Natale said Wegmans hopes to reopen the stores Thursday morning.
The recent one-two punch of East Coast blizzards also affected another local company.
Eastman Kodak Co.’s primary jet was demolished at Washington Dulles International Airport over the weekend when the hangar it was parked in collapsed due to snow buildup, said company spokesman Christopher Veronda.
The jet was in the Washington, D.C., area as company CEO Antonio M. Perez and his wife were among the guests at the Obama White House for the Super Bowl, Veronda said. No one was injured in the hangar collapse.
Kodak had idled one of its two leased jets in 2009 as part of cost-cutting measures. That idled jet now will be the company’s primary jet for shuttling executives, Veronda said.
VFREILE@DemocratandChronicle.com
Includes reporting by staff writers Matthew Daneman, Jim Stinson and Gary McLendon.
