An ice storm which paralyzed much of northern New York, eastern Canada and northern New England managed to avoid Hanover in the past week, while crippling surrounding areas.
The storm, which is being blamed for more than 20 deaths, brought down trees and left hundreds of thousands without power in places as close as Sunapee.
According to Tom Hoyt, a meteorologist in White River Junction, Hanover and the surrounding area escaped because the "warm, moisture-laden southwesterly winds" that caused the ice storm ran into "heavy, cold air" at certain levels in mountainous regions and "settled into pockets" that dumped ice on areas such as Sunapee.
Hoyt said "you can almost see the lines" of damage where the moisture-laden air was trapped if you drive along Interstate 89.
Once the first ice fell in other areas, Hoyt said, the process fed itself by keeping the air cold. The air temperature would need to rises above freezing to keep the ice from falling.
The major ice damage was north of the College. However there was also damage to the east, west and south of Hanover.
More than 9,000 people in New Hampshire and Vermont were still without power Tuesday.
Although the storm did not hit the College hard, some professors who live in surrounding areas were forced to cancel classes.
