Rallies urge GOP senators to back Supreme Court vote

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the spring snowstorm moving through the Northeast (all times local): 12:30 p.m. The sun is shining in parts of New England after a spring snowstorm that wasn't as bad as originally expected. The snow is expected to quickly melt as temperatures rise into the 50s by midweek. The National Weather Service says Stratham, New Hampshire, appears to have gotten 8.5 inches while Hampton got 7.3. In Massachusetts, Oakham got 7.5 inches of snow while several Merrimack Valley communities got more than 6 inches. Boston got less than 3. In Connecticut, Tolland got 6.5 inches while Vernon got 6. In Rhode Island, Burrillville had the most in the state, with 6 inches. Portland, Maine, got 6.7. ___ 9:30 a.m. A spring storm brought just a few inches of snow to much of Rhode Island, but disrupted schools and businesses. Schools across the state were closed Monday in anticipation of the storm, which was forecast to bring 4 to 8 inches of snow. National Weather Service spotters reported 1 to 3 inches of snow had fallen in various towns as of midmorning Monday. Light snow continued to fall. Some offices delayed opening, state courts were opened but canceled all sessions, and the federal court in Providence delayed its opening until noon. A parking ban issued in Providence was lifted at 8 a.m. There were no significant power outages reported by National Grid. ___ 9:20 a.m. Many New Englanders are breathing a sigh of relief that a snowstorm on the first full day of spring wasn't as bad as expected. Plymouth nurse Kathy McKee said Monday that she thought she had seen the last of snow this year and was disappointed when she saw the forecast. But she was pleasantly surprised when the storm didn't dump as much snow as predicted. When she left her home, only 3 or 4 inches of snow had fallen, compared to some forecasts that had predicted as much as 10 inches of snow. McKee says: "I'm relieved now and back looking forward to spring again." ___ 7:20 a.m. Steady snowfall is making for a slow and sloppy morning commute across southern New England. The National Weather Service says as of 7 a.m. Monday the forecast is for the spring storm to drop 4 to 6 inches of snow across much of eastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island, northeast Connecticut and coastal areas of New Hampshire and Maine. Less snow is expected in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Police were reporting several morning accidents, likely caused by slick roads. Schools across the region either closed for the day or delayed opening by two hours. Power outages across the region were minimal but dozens of flights in and out of Logan International Airport in Boston had been canceled. The snow is expected to taper off around midday. ___ 5 a.m. New Englanders will face a messy commute as a spring storm kicks off the work week while others in the Northeast will have an easier time. Forecasters have predicted an accumulation of 4 to 8 inches of heavy, wet snow in Massachusetts and Rhode Island on Monday. Southeastern Massachusetts could get 8 to 10 inches, which could cause scattered power outages. Portions of Connecticut could receive anywhere from a couple of inches of snow to about 6 inches. Northern New England's outlook is similar. The exception is Maine's Penobscot Bay area, where there could be up to 12 inches from Bar Harbor north. In New Hampshire, the Concord area likely will get 2 to 3 inches of snow; Manchester will see a bit less than that. There could be 4 to 6 inches along the seacoast. The National Weather Service in Mount Holly said Philadelphia could get as little as an inch of snow while portions of New Jersey will see 1 to 2 inches. New York City residents can expect 1 to 3 inches with about double that on Long Island.

The Latest: Sun breaks though after Northeast snowstorm