Voice Of Post

Deadly 'flash freeze' staggers Northeast, A deadly "flash-freeze" storm swept through much of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York on Sunday, causing traffic pileups on interstates and forcing closure of all four bridges linking Philadelphia and New Jersey.

Rain falling on frozen roadways caused black ice across the region. Interstate 76 west of Philadelphia was closed in both directions after a 30-car collision that left at least one person dead, state Transportation Department spokesman Charlie Metzger told USA TODAY. Other major crashes were reported on I-95 and I-476 in the state.

Kaitlyn Maier, of Philadelphia, said she was driving with her boyfriend when she came upon the I-76 crash.

"Ten minutes before I was asking him, what is this? Rain, or what?" said Maier, adding that emergency responders directed her and other drivers to turn and drive eastbound on the westbound side to the next exit.

After driving past more accidents, Maier said they decided to stop at a diner to wait until the roads cleared.

"I've driven through snow a lot, and this isn't like anything I've ever driven in," she said. . " I was going less than 10 mph, but I had no control of my vehicle."

In New Jersey, the Pallisades Parkway that links North Jersey to New York City via the George Washington Bridge was closed due to the ice, state transportation spokesman Steve Schapiro said.

Speed limits were lowered along the Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike, where dozens of accidents were reported early Sunday, he said. More than 200 crashes had been reported across the state by 10 a.m.

Schapiro said that in many areas roads were pre-treated, but the rain washed the salt away before freezing. Some roads are being several times, he said.

"We continue to treat the roads aggressively, but we need people to stay home," Schapiro told USA TODAY. "We had black ice almost everywhere and roads are treacherous."

The Delaware River Port Authority closed the four bridges linking Philadelphia and New Jersey to allow treatment. Bridges generally freeze before road surfaces do, which can make them even more hazardous.

The New York City Fire Department said emergency calls poured in due to accidents on icy roads where traction was limited. The conditions forced road closures in New York City as well as on Long Island.

The New York State Thruway was closed southbound from Newburgh to the New York City line.

Officials in all three states said hundreds of trucks were out clearing roads. The situation was expected to improve as temperatures rose during the day.