The second storm in less than a week has shut down highways, schools and mass transit across the eastern seaboard...
By Militza Richard
The second storm to blast the Northeast in less than a week hit New York and Washington D.C. today. This morning, Washington D.C. had another six inches of snow adding to as much as two feet in some places from this weekend’s storm. Total accumulation from the new storm could reach 10 to 20 inches. New York City expects more than a foot of snow today coupled with 60 mph winds.
Seven states can expect blizzard conditions and more than 100 million people will be impacted by the storm.
The nation’s capital has practically shut down. The Federal government has been shut down for three days and will remain closed at least through Wednesday and potentially through the holiday weekend. While employees may enjoy the time off, officials estimate that it costs $100 million per day in lost productivity as 230,000 workers sit at home.
Meanwhile, travel in the city is at a virtual standstill. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told "Good Morning America" that it will be several hours before people are able to move around.
"In Washington, D.C. the mayor has called out the national guard to try to get the streets opened up," he said. "Everyone is working real hard at the airports … it will probably be a few more hours before the flights are back in the air again."
Most airlines have cancelled a large portion of flights. USAir canceled 1,422 flights, Continental, 800; United, 600 and Southwest, 450.
In New York City, schools, courts, and the even the United Nations have shut down. Light snow began last night and became heavier this morning, but the worst snow is expected later in the day, right around the time of the evening commute. Some transit lines have scheduled an extra service for the early afternoon, as many workers are expected to leave early.
“This storm is coming at precisely the wrong time to drive home tomorrow,” Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg had said at a news conference on Tuesday. He implored New Yorkers to use mass transit. Many officials hoped that people would take the day off or work from home.
The mayor even took the rare step of closing schools in advance, as did officials in in school districts in nearly every major city along the Eastern Seaboard, from Baltimore to Philadelphia to Boston.
While D.C., Philadelphia and New York City are expected to take the brunt of the storm, Boston could also to pick up as much as eight inches of snow.
For more information on the impact of the storm, please visit: Storm Batters East, Closing Schools and Halting Flights
(Edited by Kevin Doyle)