Snowstorm Batters Northeast

ABC NEWS– A late-winter snowstorm bore down on the Northeast Tuesday, blanketing large swaths of the area in snow, but shifted inland, dramatically reducing the expected snowfall for the New York City area.

The storm which stretched from Washington, D.C. to New England, halted school, work and travel for millions of Americans.

Blizzard warnings have been issued in parts of nine states in the densely populated Northeast, and parts of Connecticut could see up to 2 feet of snow. Five states — New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland and Pennsylvania — have declared states of emergency.

The storm comes less than a week before the start of spring.

Blizzard warnings were still effect in nine states from Pennsylvania to Maine, covering areas including the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania; northwest New Jersey; Hartford, Connecticut; Albany, New York; Burlington, Vermont; and Portland, Maine.

The blizzard warning was canceled for New York City, which was put under a “winter weather advisory.” Some 4-6 inches of snow had fallen in Central Park as of 12:30 p.m. Totals were slightly higher in Queens and doubled in northern New Jersey and the Hudson Valley. The area, which had been forecast to receive up to 20 inches of snow, was also hit with sleet.

Mid-day today, the heaviest snow is expected to move across New England, up to Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.