Snow covers much of US east coast

Snow is falling Tuesday in much of U.S. East Coast, impacting at least 50 million people living in this region, with schools and federal offices closing their doors for the day. According to the National Weather Service, snow is falling from Tennessee Valley into the Mid-Atlantic and New England. The fast moving weather system is creating swath of 2 to 7 inches of snow from southwest Virginia to the New England coast. Heavy Lake Effect snows will also impact the Lower Great Lakes into later this week, with up to two feet of accumulation. Heavy snowfall were witnessed throughout Washington area before dawn Tuesday. Schools and federal offices in the city all closed for the day. About 5 inches of snow is expected in Washington. Elsewhere along the Eastern Seaboard, Maryland and Pennsylvania could see the biggest snow totals. The National Weather Service forecast up to 7 inches of snow for Baltimore and Philadelphia. The snow will last an average of six to eight hours, bringing havoc to travelers. It is forecast to bring an average of 3 inches to most spots along the I-95 corridor along the East Coast. More than 1,000 flights had been canceled nationwide as of 9 a.m. The snow storm, together with storms in other parts of the country in the past few days, is early in U.S. standards. According to the National Weather Service, 66.9 percent of the country was snow covered as of Monday, highest for the date in at least the past 10 years.