ICYMI: Australia can't get a break from wildfires, fast-hitting winter weather causes all sorts of travel nightmares in the US

As 2020 got into full swing, travelers had to endure the nightmare of traffic-snarling snow across the mid-Atlantic, and icy conditions along with a glaring sun may have caused a multi-car pileup in Maine. In Puerto Rico, residents were shaken by two powerful earthquakes that slammed the island in a short span of time, and a recent brief spell of rain won't do much to stop the intense blazes ravaging much of Australia right now. Here's a look back at the week in weather.

Travel headaches abound as 2020's 1st snowfall hits mid-Atlantic

Travelers across the mid-Atlantic dealt with the headache of struggling to drive over snow-covered roads earlier in the week. The first snowfall of the new year and decade was a swift mover. Tuesday's snow wasn't quite a major winter storm when it started falling over eastern Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Accumulations ranged from 3 to 6 inches. However, it wasn't long before the snow had blanketed the highways.

Several trucks blocking Interstate 81 near Roanoke, Virginia, late Tuesday morning following a crash amid snowy conditions. (Facebook/Botetourt County Department of Fire & EMS)

Drivers along Virginia's portion of Interstate 81 felt some of the negative impacts. A pileup near Roanoke late Tuesday morning left two people hospitalized and the northbound lane closed for a brief time. In other parts of Roanoke, other drivers were running into trouble on the roads, with the Botetourt County Department of Fire and EMS reporting several crashes.

In an effort to reduce the number of drivers - and the number of accidents - on the roads, D.C.-area school district and government offices closed early to allow employees travel time before snow hit the area. Some air travelers also had to wait a little longer at Ronald Reagan National and Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airports (BWI) when dozens of flights were delayed Tuesday afternoon. BWI reported 1.5 inches of snow, even though the temperature peaked at 47 degrees Fahrenheit prior to the snowfall.

Sunshine, icy roads possible cause of major interstate pileup in Maine

Police say a blindingly bright sun shining early Tuesday morning may have been to blame for the 30-vehicle pileup in Maine that stranded several hundreds of travelers. It happened on I-95 near Carmel, Maine, around 7:45 a.m. The mess resulting from the chain-reaction crash led transportation officials to close the northbound lanes for a few hours.

(Photo from Maine Forest Service Helicopter, courtesy of the Maine Forest Rangers)

"Sunrise was at 7:13 a.m., and the sun glare off a treated wet or possibly icy road surface may have contributed to the accident," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Paul Walker.

At least one person was seriously hurt and taken by a Life Flight helicopter to a hospital in Bangor, Maine, about 16 miles east of Carmel. Several other people were also taken to area hospitals for treatment.

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Snow squalls rip through parts of Northeast

A sudden blast of snow pushed through several cities in the northeastern United States at midweek. States like New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Connecticut and Pennsylvania were hit with snow squalls Wednesday.

An approaching snow squall early Wednesday morning around sunrise at Poe Paddy State Park near Millheim, Pennsylvania.(Photo/AccuWeather Meteorologist Nicole LoBiondo)

Videos made the rounds on social media showing the quick bursts of snowfall hitting cities like Boston and Philadelphia. A Twitter user in Philadelphia captured a timelapse clip of a snow squall hitting the city, from start to finish, on Jan. 8. Check it out here.

2 earthquakes, several tremors rattle Puerto Rico in 24-hour period

Residents of Puerto Rico had a rocky start to the week as earthquakes and the resulting tremors shook the U.S. territory multiple times. A 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck south of Puerto Rico early Monday morning.

A home is seen collapsed after an earthquake in Guanica, Puerto Rico January 7, 2020. (REUTERS/Ricardo Ortiz)

On Tuesday, just 24 hours later, the island was hit yet again by a powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake that struck just off the southern coast. The second quake rocked the island around 4:24 a.m., local time, and left at least eight people injured and heavily damaged buildings. Mayita Meléndez, mayor of Ponce, reported at least one death in the city - a 73-year-old disabled man.

Electricity was out all over the island on Tuesday; Puerto Rico's power authority reported earthquake-related damage to one of its main power plants. President Donald Trump approved Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vazquez's request for an emergency declaration.

"Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) personnel in Puerto Rico are working closely with [the] Puerto Rico Emergency Management Bureau, and we have deployed two Incident Management Assistance Teams to the island," a statement from FEMA read.

Despite some rain, there's no end in sight for Australia bushfires

The arrival of rain brought a sigh of relief to those currently enduring and battling the ongoing Australia bushfires. In Sydney, Australians cheered as the rain doused the city on Jan. 6. However, AccuWeather meteorologists say that the brief spell of precipitation will not put a dent in the development of additional fires.

Heading into the weekend, New South Wales remained under a state of emergency amid the bushfire catastrophe that continues to devastate multiple regions of the country. More than 2,300 firefighters in New South Wales are risking their lives to contain over 130 blazes.

The extensive plume of smoke from the fires has been seen on satellite drifting across the Pacific Ocean and into parts of South America.

Across Australia, at least 26 people have died, The Associated Press (AP) reported. "The fires are still burning, and they'll be burning for months to come," said Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

As the country's firefighters continue working to stop the fires, they're getting some help from other parts of the world. Firefighters from the U.S. arrived at Sydney International Airport on Jan. 9, ready to get to work and assist those already on the ground. The brave firefighters arrived in the terminal, and video showed them being welcomed with a spontaneous round of applause and a warm show of support.

Australia faces new tropical threat following Cyclone Blake

As though the brutal bushfires weren't causing enough trouble, Australia also had to face a threat from Cyclone Blake in another part of the country this week.

Blake formed last weekend and intensified as it passed through the Kimberley coastline early in the week, making landfall as a Category 1 cyclone near Wallal Downs on Wednesday. The storm weakened as it moved further inland.

However, there's a second tropical threat that may take shape over the weekend near the country's Top End, bringing with it the risk of flooding, tropical rainfall and locally damaging winds, AccuWeather meteorologists say.

How you can help wildfire-ravaged Australia

AccuWeather estimates $110 billion worth of total damage and economic losses stemming from the fires as they continue into the new year, according to AccuWeather Founder and CEO Dr. Joel N. Myers.

If you'd like to assist in the relief efforts, ranging from helping firefighters to offering aid for those who have had to evacuate due to the blazes, you can find out how by clicking here.

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