Snow Storm US 2014: Death Toll Rises & Hundreds Trapped as USA Covered in Snow

A snow storm of epic intensity has swept northeastern US and left many stranded and trapped in its wake. About 7 deaths in connection with the weather disturbance have also been reported, BBC said.

"After sweeping across the Great Lakes, the storm dumped 5ft (1.5m) of snow in the Buffalo area, with more forecast," the news source said. "The storm caused seven deaths there - one in a car crash, one trapped in a car and five from heart attacks."

All 50 states, including Hawaii and Florida, had experienced freezing temperatures this week, with 50 percent of the country having snow on the ground on Tuesday, CNN said.

"Temperatures at Mauna Kea on Hawaii's Big Island dipped to 31 degrees while Florida's Panhandle was in the upper 20s, with freeze warnings in effect," the news agency said. "The cause of this mayhem: Arctic air pouring over the relatively warm waters of the Great Lakes is producing extreme lake-effect snows."

Meanwhile, USA Today reported that Buffalo's first snowstorm for this season "could give the area a year's worth of snow - around 8 feet - in just three days."

"This is a historic event. When all is said and done, this snowstorm will break all sorts of records, and that's saying something in Buffalo," said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. "Mother Nature is showing us who's boss once again," he also said, as quoted by Time.

"I can't remember and I don't think anyone else can remember this much snow falling in this short a period," observed Erie County executive Mark Poloncarz. "This storm is basically a knife that went right through the heart of Erie County."

Gov. Cuomo had already deployed no less than 100 from the National Guard to help clear roads and remove stranded vehicles.

USA Today also noted that although the worst of the chill will let up on Thursday, "temperatures will still be below-average in the East."

"The last time a storm this huge hit was in December 2001, when 80 to 90 inches of snow fell on the region in a five-day period," the news source added.

Meanwhile, the Niagara University women's basketball team was rescued by State troopers after being stuck on the Thruway for more than a day. The group was coming from a game in Pittsburgh.

The snow storm dumped 220,000 tons of snow in the stadium, putting this Sunday's Bufalo Bill vs. New York Jets game "in jeopardy."

Clearing Buffalo roadways may be a slow and monumental task, said Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown.

"Historic amounts of snow have fallen. There is no place to put that snow," he said.