The first storm of the New Year brought snow on Monday to multiple states in the northeastern U.S. and left hundreds of thousands of people in the southeast without power. A flurry of warnings and alerts were issued by the National Weather Service, which forecast heavy snow and high winds. Up to seven inches of snow was forecast in parts of Maryland and up to 10 inches could accumulate in Washington and Virginia, according to the service. The bulk of the snowfall was expected to come down before noon, though some areas may see additional accumulation in the early afternoon, forecasters said. They warned people of slippery roads and low visibility, which would make travel difficult. In addition, a hurricane-force wind warning was in effect, bringing gusts of up to 74 miles per hour. Some snow was also expected to drop in parts of New York, New Jersey, and Delaware …