Storm brings big snowfall in northern New England

In New Hampshire, the 24 inches of snow recorded in Concord was a few inches short of the reading from the blizzard of 1888, meteorologist Mike Kistner said.

A transportation spokesman said the storm-related high tide forced the closing of a section of U.S. Route 1A in Hampton, N.H. The tide caused minor flooding and street closings along the southern Maine coast, as well.

At the storm's height, more than 15,000 homes and businesses lost power in Maine and New Hampshire, but utility workers were quickly bringing them back online.

In Vermont, snow totals topped out at 17.3 inches in Marlboro, 16.5 inches in South Royalton and 16 inches in Springfield. Nearly everyone in Vermont had power during the storm, although winds Saturday forced the closing of the ferry between Charlotte and Essex, N.Y.

In Portland, the snowstorm made for a memorable wedding.

Karen Willis Beal said her vision of a dream wedding included a snowstorm just like the one hit before her parents married in December 1970. The record-breaking storm prevented some of her guests from attending, but there were no regrets.

The happy couple even had some outdoor photos taken during the snowstorm.

"I have always wanted a snowstorm for my wedding, and my wish has come true to the max. This is what I've wished for all my life," Beal said Saturday after the ceremony.

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Associated Press Writers David Sharp in Portland, Maine, and Holly Ramer in Concord, N.H., contributed to this story.