Federal, state governments, schools closed amid snowstorm cleanup

USA east coast residents clobbered by the weekend blizzard have trudged into the working week amid slippery roads, disrupted transport services and mounds of snow that buried cars and blocked pavements.

In Philadelphia, where the snow emergency was lifted Sunday night, the city government reopened Monday morning while the schools remained closed.

Uncommon recreations like snow-diving, jet-snowboarding, and massive snowball fights became popular across the Gulf Coast as the snow limited – or expanded? – people’s options for fun. “We’ve still got to clear the snow”. Motorists are advised to drive cautiously because of slick spots, especially on highway ramps.

Ice chunks plunging from the roofs of tall buildings menaced people who ventured out in Philadelphia and NY.

The massive winter storm system pummelled the eastern USA, dumping almost 58 cm of snow in suburbs of Washington DC to NY, with two low-pressure systems merging into a potent nor’easter that dropped heavy snow from Virginia to New England. Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno and Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin on Monday planned to visit the Ortley Beach section of Toms River, the Holgate section of Long Beach Township, Stone Harbor and North Wildwood. More than 5,000 homes and businesses lost electricity. Cape May, Stone Harbor and Ocean City saw record flooding.

On Sunday, moderate coastal flooding was still a concern in the Jersey Shore’s Atlantic County, said Linda Gilmore, a county public information officer.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio encouraged people to leave their plowed-in cars all week after a one-day record of 26.6 inches fell in Central Park. Three persons died in NY and another in Maryland while carting snow; one died from hypothermia in Virginia and one from carbon monoxide poisoning in Pennsylvania. Amtrak operated a reduced number of trains, but bus and rail service was expected to be limited into Monday.

A transportation worker died while plowing snow-covered highways near Bowling Green, and a man died when his auto collided with a salt truck. Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, resident Peter Quamina (kwuh-MEE’-nuh) said Monday that he spent hours over the weekend shoveling out the front of his driveway only for it to be blocked again by sanitation plows.

“A lot of teachers are taking the train instead of driving”, said Wanda Morales, director of operations at the school, standing outside while maintenance workers spread salt and parents dropped off their children. Normally the street parking around the school is reserved for teachers, but that’s suspended until Wednesday.

At least 31 people died across 11 states and the District of Columbia as a result of the storm.

Pennsylvanians continued digging out from the major snowstorm that crippled a stretch of the turnpike.

New Jersey Transit said it was running most normal weekday service Monday, though officials said bus service could be affected by snow removal on roads.

A Virginia couple refused to allow the snowstorm to ruin their wedding. Part of the east of the country has reported 71 cm of snow between Friday and Saturday.

“It’s important to know that the roads are still risky”, she told reporters. The trooper was in China Grove, North Carolina, and asked the people operating the vehicles to get off the road, only for them to charge him; the trooper has since been treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin was on a rescheduled pre-dawn flight from Springfield, Illinois, to Chicago while on the way to Washington on Monday morning.

“It seems like they move really slow cleaning the snow here in D.C.”, said Qahwash, originally from MI.

The NWS said 22.4 inches fell in Washington at the National Zoo, and Baltimore-Washington International Airport notched a record 29.2 inches. “I knew the forecast was enough to cause a problem”.

The nation’s capital was at a standstill after federal government offices were ordered shut on Monday. Reagan National listed 124 cancellations, and Baltimore/Washington International had 74 cancellations.

United Airlines said it would not operate at Washington-area airports on Sunday, and would gradually resume service on Monday.

The Zoo was making hearts sing in other ways – even though the grounds remained closed through Monday, an online video of its giant panda Tian Tian making snow angels got more than 48 million views.

The heaviest snowfall – 101cm (40in) – was recorded near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.

More than 12,000 USA flights were slashed from Friday through Monday, with some airlines cancelling flights into Tuesday, FlightAware reported.