New York - Schools closed, governments sent workers home early and hundreds of flights were cancelled on Wednesday in an all-too-familiar routine along the East Coast as another snowstorm swept over a region already beaten down by a winter not even half over.
Heavy snow and icy roads created hazardous conditions for President Barack Obama as he returned on Wednesday night to the White House from a trip to Wisconsin.
The wintry weather grounded Marine One, the helicopter that typically transports Obama to and from the military base where Air Force One lands. Instead, a motorcade met Obama at the base, and the line of vehicles spent an hour weaving through rush-hour traffic already slowed by the storm.
The wet and sloppy storm engulfed the US Northeast, where some snowbanks were already so high that drivers couldn't see around corners. More than 600 flights were cancelled at New York-area airports - LaGuardia, Kennedy and Newark Liberty. About 300 flights were cancelled at the Philadelphia airport.
“I fell three times trying to get off the steps,” commuter Elliot Self said after leaving an elevated train in Philadelphia. “I just want the snow to stop. I want the sun again. I want to feel just a little bit of warmth.”
In New Jersey, state workers were sent home early and schools closed as the storm brought more snow than anticipated Wednesday morning, with a second band of snow expected to deliver more in the evening.
Twenty to 30cm of snow was forecast for New York City, which had already seen 91cm of snow this season in comparison with the full-winter average of 53cm. New Jersey and Philadelphia could get up to 20cm, and high winds are expected before the storm moves out early on Thursday. Kentucky had 15cm of snow by Wednesday morning.
Since December 14, snow has fallen eight times on the New York region - or an average of about once every five days. That includes the blizzard that dropped 51cm on the city and paralysed travel after Christmas.
New York City declared a weather emergency for the second time since the December 26 storm, which did not generate an emergency declaration but trapped hundreds of buses and ambulances and caused a political crisis for the mayor. An emergency declaration means any car blocking roads or impeding snowploughs can be towed at the owner's expense. - Sapa-AP