Snow fell, but power mostly stayed on in Pa.

The dry nature of the snow contributed to limited electrical outages locally.

The powerful winter storm that swept across much of the United States over the weekend has been blamed for dozens of deaths nationwide as bitter cold, snow and ice created dangerous conditions from the South to the Northeast.

According to the Associated Press, authorities across multiple states reported storm-related deaths tied to exposure, traffic crashes, snow removal accidents and winter recreation incidents.

In New York City, officials said at least eight people were found dead outdoors between Saturday and Monday as temperatures plunged, though the causes of death remain under investigation.

In Emporia, Kan., police searching with bloodhounds found a 28-year-old teacher dead and covered in snow, after she was last seen leaving a bar without her coat or phone.

Elsewhere, police reported fatal incidents involving snowplows in Norwood, Mass., and Dayton, Ohio, while Arkansas and Texas each reported deaths linked to sledding accidents involving teenagers.

Multiple storm-related deaths were also reported across the South and Mid-Atlantic, including four in Tennessee, three each in Louisiana, two in Mississippi, and one each in New Jersey and South Carolina.

Three deaths have been attributed to the storm in Pennsylvania, with one caused by carbon monoxide, PEMA said Monday.

Beyond the loss of life, the storm also strained utility systems across large portions of the country.

Fortunately, Pennsylvania was spared any major impacts to power or utilities.

As of Monday evening, more than 670,000 customers nationwide remained without power, according to the AP.

Most outages were concentrated in the South, where freezing rain over the weekend caused tree limbs and power lines to snap.

Northern Mississippi and parts of Tennessee were among the hardest hit, with some communities facing prolonged outages as crews worked to clear debris and restore service.

Across Pennsylvania, however, utility impacts were comparatively limited despite heavy snowfall and extreme cold.

Duquesne Light Company reported only a handful of minor, localized outages across its service territory.

By 9:30 p.m. Sunday, outage maps showed as few as five customers without power in the Carnegie area.

Utility officials noted the dry, powdery nature of the snow helped reduce stress on trees and power lines, preventing more widespread failures.

In our region, West Penn Power said the most significant outages occurred in Fayette County and along the Maryland border, where snow mixed with sleet and freezing rain.

About 900 customers initially lost power, but service was largely restored by Sunday evening. By 9:30 p.m., fewer than 20 customers remained without electricity in the Uniontown area.

While the Pittsburgh region fared relatively well, FirstEnergy, the parent company of West Penn Power, reported more substantial outages farther east.

In Cumberland and Franklin counties, nearly 1,000 customers lost power during the same storm cycle.

Forecasters warned that while snow and ice were beginning to clear in some areas, the most dangerous threat may still lie ahead as Arctic air is expected to linger in the coming days.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.