[6] When the storm arrived in eastern New York and western New England, the areas received light rain.

The low moved very slowly along the coast gaining strength throughout the day, and with a continuous supply of moisture, this allowed for an extended period of heavy snow.

A cold front passed early next day (Monday March 31), dropping the temperature into the 40s,[3] and just before dawn light rain began to fall.

[3] During the peak of the storm from about 11 p.m. March 31 to 3 a.m. April 1, snow fell in Boston at the rate of 3 inches (7.6 cm) per hour.

Numerous lightning strikes and thunderclaps accompanied the extremely heavy snow, which accumulated 1 foot (30 cm) in those four hours.

[3][8] Commuter trolleys in Boston were closed for the first time in nearly twenty years,[5] public transportation was crippled, about 1,000 motorists spent the night stranded in their cars and 4,000 stayed in shelters.

[5] Some of the narrow side streets of Boston were completely buried[3] and portions of Interstate 95 and Route 128 were shut down because of the snow.

[7] Two days after the storm, subways and commuter rails were still sluggish because of fallen trees and signal problems.

[5] Upstate New York received 32 inches (81 cm) [7] and in some parts of New Jersey two feet of snow fell causing delays on commuter trains.