Winter storm, bitter cold sweep much of country
Residents across a huge swath of the U.S. awakened Thursday to the beginnings of a massive winter storm expected to deliver snow, ice and high winds followed by possible record-breaking cold as it moves up the Eastern Seaboard from the Carolinas to Maine.
Blizzard warnings and states of emergency were in effect, schools and government offices closed for the day and motorists were warned to be careful as conditions began to worsen.
Ankle deep snow and wind gusts approaching 50 mph (80 kph) covered Maryland’s Ocean City Boardwalk, which was under a blizzard warning Thursday. In New Jersey, 4 inches (10 centimeters) of snow had fallen in Margate.
The massive storm began two days ago in the Gulf of Mexico, first hitting the Florida Panhandle. It has prompted thousands of canceled flights, shuttered schools and businesses and sparked fears of coastal flooding and power outages. (AP)
Photos from top: Michael Dwyer/AP, Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News, Mark Wilson/Getty Images, Chris O'Meara/AP, Matt Rourke/AP
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