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Snow storm pelts across America, affecting 94 million people

Xinhua, March 6, 2015 Adjust font size:

A powerful winter storm moving across the eastern U.S. is bringing heavy snow from parts of the Ohio Valley to the Northeast Thursday and puts 94 million people under Winter Storm Warning or Winter Weather Advisory, U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) said.

In Washington D.C., the federal government announced that it offices would be closed due to an expected heavy snowfall. In a statement, the Office of Personnel Management said that non- emergency employees were granted excused absence for the day.

The House of Representatives and the Senate also canceled their sessions due to the adverse weather condition.

Governor of Alabama, West Virginia, Mississippi and New Jersey had already declared states of emergency.

The NWS also warned that flooding could occur across the lower Ohio Valley and western Mid-Atlantic regions.

In New York City, the LaGuardia Airport was closed Thursday after an incoming plane skidded off the runway amid the snow storm, which hit New York Tri-State area.

There were no major injuries, said a spokesperson with the Fire Department of New York.

There were 149 people on board the plane. All passengers were evacuated after the mishap.

Nearly a thousand flights have been canceled in New York Tri- State area due to the winter storm. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for New York City, Long Island and areas of New Jersey until 7 p.m. Thursday, predicting snow accumulations of between 4 and 7 inches.

The New York City Office of Emergency Management has issued a hazardous travel advisory for the morning rush, warning of dangers on the roads caused by reduced visibility, icy roads and snow accumulations.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has declared a state of emergency and is asking motorists to stay off the roads if possible. Up to 4 to 8 inches of snow are predicted in parts of New Jersey.

Meanwhile, thousands of students in central and north areas in the U.S. state of Texas got a day off Thursday after an overnight storm brought about freezing rain, sleet and several inches of snow, causing cancellation of hundreds of flights and disruptions of traffic.

Schools throughout central Texas either delayed the start of classes or closed altogether because of the wintry weather. In northern Texas, the hardest hit area, where some places saw as much as seven inches (17.8 centimeters) of snow, schools also canceled classes for the whole day.

Flight tracking website Flightaware.com reported nearly 800 flights canceled Thursday at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, which had the highest snowfall since 1947.

Airport spokesman David Magana told the Dallas Morning News that the airport remained open though many travelers were still stranded. Crews were working around the clock to clear the taxiways.

Road traffic in some places were virtually brought to a standstill. Bus service in the city of Fort Worth was suspended because of the icy road.

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for the Dallas-Fort Worth area through midday Thursday, when temperatures are expected to start rising above freezing. Endite