The Northeast continues to dig out from Friday's massive blizzard, which now ranks among the top five largest ever to hit New England. 300,000 people are still without power while the death toll has risen to nine.

The snowfall champion is Hamden, Conn., which received a whopping 40 inches of snow. Further up north, Portland, Maine received almost 32 inches. Boston got almost 25 inches while New York City dodged the worst of the storm, with the final tally in Central Park coming in at a little above 11 inches. Further to the east, Long Island and coastal Connecticut were among the hardest hit, with almost 28 inches falling in Islip, NY and just above 34 inches in New Haven, Conn..

A man shovels snow in Boston, Mass..

Among the nine deaths is a 14-year-old Boston boy who died of Carbon Monoxide poisoning after taking a break from shoveling with his father to warm up in the family car, which had its tailpipe blocked by a pile of snow. Police are investigating another death of a young man who it appears also died in a similar fashion.

Fortunately, no deaths were reported after the horrific situation on the Long Island Expressway, where drivers were forced to flee their cars as the storm furiously barreled inland.

Travel remains a headache as Boston's Logan Airport is just now reopening and the more than 5,000 canceled flights across the region continue to be rescheduled. Massachusetts has now lifted its driving ban, however, Boston's "T" will remain closed until Monday morning. The Catholic Archdiocese in Boston has excused parishioners from their Sunday mass obligation in light of the weather conditions.

Digging out in Portland, Maine.

In all, six states declared a State of Emergency in the face of both record snow and hurricane-force winds. The top wind gust was 83 mph, which was observed at Cuttyhunk Island, Massachusetts.

The region will get rain over the next couple of days as temperatures rise. Now, however, the hysterics at the Weather Channel have turned their attention to Winter Storm Orko, a name so dumb, it boggles the mind. Just stop watching The Weather Channel, folks, and stay warm out there!

[images via AP. Top photo of Portland, Maine]