Snowstorm pummels US east coast, shuts down federal government

A powerful snowstorm is blanketing the US mid-Atlantic region and the East Coast, cancelling about 2,700 flights, clogging up roads, shutting down Washington and closing schools and local governments. In Washington DC, as much as 10 inches of snow is expected to drop in some areas, causing the federal government to close its doors for the day alongside schools. Congress delayed votes as a result of the weather, though the Supreme Court was still expected to hear its scheduled arguments. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for the surrounding DC area. In Delaware, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Virginia, governors have each declared a state of emergency. Those traveling through the skies, though, will have to contend with another wave of delays and cancellations. According to the airline tracking service FlightAware, about 2,700 flights have been cancelled nationwide. Nearly 4,600 other flights have been delayed. Since forecasters expect falling snow to turn into freezing rain, any accumulation of ice also presents the possibility that power lines could go down. Already, Bloomberg newswire reported that more than 102,000 homes and businesses were without electricity. Of that total, roughly 80 percent of the customers affected were in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee. According to a local Fox affiliate in Washington, DC, even the storm’s conclusion will brings little relief, as temperatures are expected to plunge for a number of days following the snowfall.