Freezing snow storm Frida blew into the East Coast on Monday, closing government offices and schools in DC, causing major power outages and prompting airlines to cancel flights in Baltimore and New York.
As much as 10 inches of snow was forecast for the District of Columbia, northern Virginia and central Maryland through the afternoon. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a winter storm warning for the area until at least 4 pm EST Monday.
After a bruising holiday week of flight cancellations and record surges in COVID-19 cases, the powerful winter storm Monday further snarled US transport, with nearly 3,500 flights canceled by 10 am on Monday.
Although New York will be mostly spared, Frida could dump up to 18 inches of snow in the eastern US region, officials said.
Many COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites were closed in Virginia and in Maryland due to the inclement weather.
The snow also grounded President Joe Biden’s helicopter, so he drove to the White House from Andrews Air Force Base in suburban Maryland after a weekend in Delaware.
According to the NWS, the snow storm is expected to affect the East Coast through Thursday at 7 am.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning until 4 pm EST Monday for certain areas in the East Coast
A boat is covered with snow as it is docked in Ego Alley in downtown Annapolis, Maryland
Forecast Map of Winter Storm Frida moving across the East Coast
Lily Siu, left, and Maya Siu play on a snow-covered playground at Federal Hill Park, Monday, January 3, 2022, in Baltimore
A postal worker pushes packages through the snow on January 3, 2022 in Washington, DC
View of a stranded bus as a major winter snow storm hitting the Northern Virginia area cripples traffic at the start of the work week in the new year
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for the area until 4 pm.EST Monday
View of a stranded car on the highway as major winter snow storm hitting the Northern Virginia area cripples traffic at the start of the work week in the new year
A family walks on a snow covered block of the Mount Pleasant neighborhood on January 3, 2022 in Washington, DC
Two girls visiting from Boulder, Colorado, enjoy the flurries as a winter storm delivers heavy snow to the Capitol in Washington
Snow-covered cable and power lines crisscross a backyard alley in a neighborhood in Washington, DC
Snow blows sideways in gusty wind as a woman strolls with a dog at Federal Hill Park
Forecast map of winter wtorm Frida – Large winter weather system moving across Washington DC and the mid-Atlantic Monday January 3
With snow blanketing the streets in and around the nation’s capital, the White House Press briefing was canceled, although Biden’s other public events were still on.
Wind gusts of up to 35 mph were forecast, and travel was expected to be very difficult because of the hazardous conditions, the weather service said.
‘The timing of this isn’t great,’ said National Weather Service meteorologist David Roth. ‘For the D.C. area, it’s morning rush hour. At least for places to the northeast, it’ll be closer to midday.’
More than half the flights were delayed or canceled Monday morning at Ronald Reagan National Airport, Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport, according to FlightAware.com’s misery map.
A quarter of the flights at New York’s three major airports were delayed or canceled as well.
A groundskeeper clears the driveway in front of the West Wing of the White House
A view of the city as the first snowstorm of the season hits Washington DC
The National Cathedral is seen as snow falls in Washington
Lily Whitesell with her three children Silvio, Thiago, and Inti Carvallo prepare to descend the big hill behind Lemon Road Elementary during a snow storm in Falls Church, Virginia
Visitors from France enjoy the scenery as a winter storm delivers heavy snow to the Capitol
Wind gusts of up to 35 mph were forecast, and travel was expected to be very difficult because of the hazardous conditions, the weather service said
Liz Cote, center, watches as her son Ezra Crocombe, 4, left, attempts to sled down a hill as her other son Ori Crocombe, 1, looks on, Monday, January 3, 2022, in Baltimore
The winter storm closed government offices, schools and COVID-19 testing and vaccination centers on Monday with the National Weather Service forecast as much as 10 inches of snow in the region surrounding the nation’s capital
A bicyclist rides along the East Front Plaza during a snow storm on Capitol Hill in Washington
Snow falls at the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 3, 2022
A snowman sit on the Mall near the US Capitol building
Snow blankets the statues of soldiers in the the Korean War Veterans Memorial
Large winter weather system moving across Washington DC and the mid-Atlantic Monday January 3
Much of the mid-Atlantic could see it’s first significant winter weather on Monday morning during the commute
Snow blankets a neighborhood in Baltimore on Monday, January 3
Wind gusts of up to 35 mph were forecast, and travel was expected to be very difficult because of the hazardous conditions, the weather service said
The Weather Prediction Center said two inches of snow per hour could fall in some areas, and thunder snow was possible.
More than 500,000 customers were without power Monday morning as the winter storm warning extended from northern Alabama and southern Tennessee through Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina and West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland.
‘This is not a very typical setup for us, especially this time of year for us,’ said Austin Mansfield, a weather service meteorologist in Virginia. ‘When we are talking highly populated areas, increasing accumulation of snow becomes problematic.’
Despite the weather, the public school system in North Carolina’s Wake County decided to hold classes for its 150,000 students on Monday. Some questioned that decision.
Following bouts of severe weather over the weekend, more than 610,000 customers are without power across the East Coast.
Here’s a breakdown:
¿¿ North Carolina – 181k+
¿¿ Virginia – 146k+
¿¿ Georgia – 120k+
¿¿ South Carolina – 98k+
¿¿ Tennessee – 63k+ pic.twitter.com/JixjkI1Zqi— MyRadar Weather (@MyRadarWX) January 3, 2022
Virginia State Police said the agency has responded to nearly 560 crashes and 522 ‘stuck’ vehicles just on Monday
‘This is exactly why we’ve been asking only those who HAVE to travel to be on the roads today in the midst of the storm. #VSP troopers, wrecker services, and #VDOT crews are responding as quickly as we can to the multiple stuck/disabled vehicles on I-95 at the #rappahannockriver,’ the agency tweeted
Sheriff’s Deputies worked for several hours to free more than a dozen stuck/disabled tractor-trailers, and the agency asked travelers to avoid the stretch until conditions improved
Downed trees cover 10th Street outside the Internal Revenue Service during a snowstorm in Washington
he District is expecting up to eight inches of snow from its first winter storm of the season
‘I was just in the carpool lane at Wake Forest High school and witnessed a tree fall on a car. Huge sparks from the power line above us,’ said Twitter user Angela Carter. ‘This is unacceptable weather to have parents, teens buses driving on the roads. Make better decisions!’
Meanwhile, Virginia State Police said the agency has responded to nearly 560 crashes and 522 ‘stuck’ vehicles just on Monday.
‘This is exactly why we’ve been asking only those who HAVE to travel to be on the roads today in the midst of the storm. #VSP troopers, wrecker services, and #VDOT crews are responding as quickly as we can to the multiple stuck/disabled vehicles on I-95 at the #rappahannockriver,’ the agency tweeted.
Sheriff’s Deputies worked for several hours to free more than a dozen stuck/disabled tractor-trailers, and the agency asked travelers to avoid the stretch until conditions improved.
More than 110,00 people in North Carolina experienced power outages near Winston-Salem and Greensboro, according to the Duke’s Energy live outage map
Powerful winter storm packs heavy winds and snow across the East Coast
A winter storm packing heavy snow rolled into the District of Columbia, northern Virginia and central Maryland overnight
A street is covered in snow in Bethesda, Maryland on January 3
People play with their dogs at a dog park in Washington, DC on January 3
Bikes sit idle and covered in snow at a bike-share station in a neighborhood in Washington, DC
A man walks down a street during a snow storm in downtown Washington, DC
Numerous cars became stuck during a snowstorm in Washington
More than 110,00 people in North Carolina experienced power outages near Winston-Salem and Greensboro, according to the Duke’s Energy live outage map.
In the country, more than 825,000 have been left without power.
Snow began falling Sunday night in parts of Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee.
As much as 6 inches accumulated in north Alabama, where authorities reported multiple roads were blocked because of icy spots and wrecks, and businesses, schools and government offices delayed opening until mid-morning to allow time for temperatures to rise above freezing.
The heavy snow was expected to accumulate on roadways and power lines, causing treacherous travel conditions and potentially leaving homes and businesses without electricity throughout the region.
A street is covered in snow in Bethesda, Maryland on January 3, 2022. – A winter storm is bringing heavy snow to Washington, DC and the mid-Atlantic region on Monday
The heavy snow was expected to accumulate on roadways and power lines, causing treacherous travel conditions
Traffic slips going up a small hill on I-495, the Capital Beltway, as snow falls, Monday, January 3
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for the area until 4 pm EST Monday
View of a fire truck as major winter snow storm hitting Northern Virginia
A car trapped in snow as snow storm Frida hits the Northern Virginia area
President Joe Biden was finally able to disembark from Air Force One on Monday after he was stuck on board for 30 minutes as airport personnel struggled through the heavy snowfall to bring the stair lift to the door of the presidential plane.
The truck hauling the stairs moved slowly through the thick snow with ground workers helping to push it through the accummulation.
The president was stuck on the plane, waiting on the snowy tarmac while the staff worked to free him and so the tarmac could be plowed.
Biden, 79, walked down the stairs carefully, one hand on the rail and the other held up to his face to brace himself from the driving snow. Snow rained down hard, causing the president to sway as he made his way off the plane.
In an unusual move, a Secret Service agent walked right behind the president on the stairs. Usually they keep a few feet back to stay out of the camera shot. Last March, the president slipped and fell on the stairs while boarding the presidential plane.
The presidential car, known as The Beast, was waiting for him. For the snowy drive back to the White House, Biden used the SUV version of his car instead of the armoured limousine.
It took the motorcade over an hour to make the journey from Joint Base Andrews. Typically, given that roads are cleared for the president and sirens are blaring, it takes about half that time.
US President Joe Biden makes his way to board Air Force One before departing from Delaware Air National Guard Base in New Castle, Delaware
Biden was stuck on the plane while airport personnel struggled to bring the stair liift through the snow so he could exit
White House staff and reporters walk in the snow outside of the West Wing of the White House
President Biden’s motorcade waits for him by Air Force One
New New York City Mayor Eric Adams deployed the salt trucks Sunday night ahead of what he believed would be 1-3 inches of snow during the morning commute and said a travel advisory would be in effect.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency beginning at 9 p.m. Sunday in five counties, advising residents to avoid travel.
Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington DC declared a snow emergency for the nation’s capital from midnight until 7 p.m. Monday.
In Philadelphia, a winter weather advisory has been issued.
After a bruising holiday week of flight cancellations and record surges in COVID-19 cases, the powerful winter storm Monday further snarled US transport and shuttered the federal government and schools.
Many Americans have been scrambling to return home after the Christmas and New Year period, with several thousand flights cancelled since December 24 due to bad weather and airline staffing woes blamed in part on rising coronavirus infections among crews.
With snow blanketing the streets in and around the nation’s capital, the White House Press briefing was canceled, although Biden’s other public events were still on
The White House is seen as snow falls in Washington, DC on January 3
A street is covered in snow in Washington, DC on January 3
Visitors from France enjoy the scenery as a winter storm delivers heavy snow to the Capitol in Washington, Monday, January 3
Nearly 3,500 flights Monday, the first workday of 2022, were already cancelled as of 9.45 am, including 2,000 US flights or international ones starting or finishing in the United States, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware.
Combined with 2,700 US flights scrapped Sunday and 2,750 grounded on Saturday, the latest cancellations compounded holiday travel misery.
Further disruptions snowballed as a winter storm hammered the capital and other parts of the mid-Atlantic, with official forecasts of five to 10 inches of snow in Washington.
‘Heavy wet snow and gusty winds could bring dangerous travel conditions and scattered power outages,’ the National Weather Service reported in its latest alert, warning of possible ‘thunder-snow,’ which includes lightning and cracks of thunder.
A winter storm is blanketing streets in and around Washington DC on Monday, closing government offices and schools
A person clears snow off a sidewalk as the first snowstorm of the season hits Washington DC
A woman walks her dog as the first snowstorm of the season hits Washington DC
Inclement weather has forced workers to stay home, but some have had to venture outside in the extreme conditions
A person crosses the street during a snowstorm
The Marine Corp Memorial of Iwo Jima is juxtaposed against the Washington Monument after a winter storm
Federal workers in and around the capital were told to stay home. But with telework becoming routine during the two-year coronavirus pandemic, it was unclear how much of the government would be affected.
Schools around the region were also closed due to snow.
Airports in Chicago and Atlanta -major transit hubs – as well as Denver, Detroit, Houston and Newark were hard hit over the weekend. By Monday the east coast airports in New York, Washington and Baltimore were scrapping the most flights.
A woman named Kayla described her own ordeal Sunday: ‘I was supposed to get home at 10:30 yesterday morning. and at this point I’ve had 3 flights cancelled and one delayed to the point where I missed my connection.’
As much as 10 inches of snow was forecast for the District of Columbia, northern Virginia and central Maryland through the afternoon
Julia and Danielle Vrasure play with their dog, Archie, during a snow storm near the U.S. Supreme Court on Capitol Hill
Snow falls along the East Front Plaza during a storm on Capitol Hill in Washington
Authorities across Virginia and Maryland were reporting numerous crashes and treacherous roads.
The Virginia State Police urged people to travel only if necessary after responding to 82 traffic crashes as of 8 am, as people drove too fast in slick conditions.
The largest snowfall total reported in the Baltimore-Washington region on Monday morning was in Virginia’s Augusta County, where a trained spotter in Greenville reported 4 inches, according to the weather service.
Maryland State Police said they responded to nine crashes, three disabled vehicles and 57 calls for service well before the heaviest snow fell.
Flooding made some roads dangerous in North Carolina.
In Washington, the US Office of Personnel Management announced that federal offices in the area would be closed on Monday.
Emergency employees and telework employees were expected to keep working, the OPM said on its website.
Multiple school districts in the region said they would be closed, delayed or have virtual learning Monday. DC Public Schools said students and staff wouldn’t be returning to school until Thursday.
A man walks his dog past the Supreme Court as a winter storm delivers heavy snow to Capitol Hill
A bicyclist rides along the East Front Plaza during a snow storm on Capitol Hill in Washington
A snow plow clears the snow covered road in Washington, DC on January 3
A street is covered in snow in Washington, DC on January 3, 2022. A winter storm is bringing heavy snow to Washington, DC
Snow falls at the West Wing of the White House in Washington, Monday, January 3
Source: Daily Mail
