pA powerful winter storm battered the U.S. Northeast on Thursday (December 27).pbr pThe storm dumped a foot (30 cm) of snow on parts of the United States with the heaviest snow falling across northern New York and into New England, the National Weather Service reported.pbr pThe National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings for parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and New England and coastal flood advisories from New York's Long Island to southern Maine.pbr pAirlines canceled nearly 700 flights on Thursday after 1,500 U.S. flights were canceled on Wednesday (December 26), according to FlightAware.com, a website that tracks flights.pbr pThe National Weather Service forecast 12 to 18 inches (30 to 46 cm) of snow for northern New England, accompanied by freezing rain and sleet, creating hazards on the highways and at airports.pbr pThe massive storm system dumped record snow in north Texas and Arkansas before it swept through the U.S. South on Christmas Day and then veered north.pbr pThe system triggered tornadoes and left almost 200,000 people in Arkansas and Alabama without power on Wednesday.pbr pOn Thursday, the storm had already cleared Cleveland, Ohio, but snow continued to fall there disrupting flights.pbr pThe weather however did not stop holiday shoppers in search of after-Christmas deals.