Inches instead of feet in the East
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A modest snowstorm pushed through New England Tuesday, causing messy travel conditions and widespread school and government closures along the Eastern seaboard despite bringing less accumulation than expected.
With snow totals measured in inches instead of feet, the storm turned out to be more nuisance than menace.
Hundreds of transportation crews treated and cleared highways in New England, where up to 3 inches of snow fell in places. State police in Connecticut reported scores of vehicle crashes and at least eight minor injuries.
Public schools were closed in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and parts of Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. Some schools in Connecticut were closed, while a few districts in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts canceled afternoon activities.
Flights were delayed in Philadelphia and New York City airports.
In Washington, snow was falling at daybreak, but traffic problems failed to materialize as many workers stayed home. Non-emergency federal employees were granted excused absences, and others were told to telecommute, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management said.
The snow ended before the evening commute in Philadelphia, which was socked by a surprise 8-inch snowfall on Sunday; the new storm brought about 2 inches.
In Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, the snow persisted throughout the day, with some flakes falling during the evening drive, making for slick road conditions.
In central and southwest Ohio, overnight snowfall made the morning commute slow and messy.
Outside Washington, traffic was light Tuesday morning. With temperatures hovering around freezing, highways that had been plowed and treated were passable, but conditions began to deteriorate after 8 a.m. as the pace of the snowfall increased.
The usually bustling Springfield Metro station was nearly deserted. Those who did have to work said the lack of traffic made the slushy roads easier to navigate.
“I wish it was like this all the time – minus the snow,” said Maelin Traylor, of Springfield. “The traffic was wonderful.”
Rick Hemphill, a retired deputy court clerk, had a busy Tuesday morning ferrying family members to and from their jobs in rural Washington County, Md., through several inches of fresh snow. He said he grew up driving in snow in mountainous western Maryland.
“Snow is snow,” Hemphill said as he refueled his four-wheel-drive vehicle near his Hagerstown-area home. “The closer you get to the city, it gets worse because they get it less often.”
Tuesday’s storm offered up a sense of levity and fun for Rachel Ezekiel-Fishbein compared with Sunday’s squall, which hampered her travel plans to Baltimore for a wedding. Schools in her hometown of Cheltenham, just north of Philadelphia, were closed.
“Got the call from school at 5 a.m., rolled over and went back to sleep till 9,” she said. “Kids are out sledding, and I’m working and making a pot of soup. Yep, I’m loving this snow day!”
Forecasters said more wintry weather could be on the way for the region this weekend.