U.S. East Coast Digs Out From Record-Breaking Blizzard

Washington, D.C.  It will be days before life returns to normal along the U.S. East Coast after a massive winter storm brought blizzards, floods and record-shattering snowfall to tens of millions of people.

FDNY Ladder 4 backing up in New York City. Photo: Jim.henderson/Wikipedia.

U.S. government offices in Washington are closed Monday for all but emergency employees as the city digs out streets and sidewalks.

Washington’s subway system is partially running after being closed for two days because of the storm.

Schools in the capital and the surrounding suburbs are closed, while flights are resuming on a limited basis in the area’s three major airports.

The U.S. Congress also postponed several votes scheduled for Monday.

People clear snow from parked cars on Henry Street in the Chinatown neighborhood in New York, Jan. 24, 2016.

The storm sent floodwaters with huge chunks of ice pouring down the main streets of coastal towns of New Jersey and into homes and businesses.

Storm-related deaths

At least 24 storm-related deaths have been reported, including from heart attacks suffered by people while shoveling snow.

One man in Pennsylvania suffocated in his parked car with the motor running when a plow completely buried the vehicle with snow, blocking the exhaust pipe and filling the car with carbon monoxide.

The huge storm moved up the Atlantic coast Friday and Saturday, bringing near hurricane-force winds and tons of moisture from the warm Gulf of Mexico.

It struck hardest in New York and, farther south, in the Baltimore and Washington area. Neither of those are accustomed to violent winter storms.

As much as 76 centimeters, or almost 30 inches, of snow heaped on some of the Washington suburbs. Baltimore was hit with 74 centimeters, breaking the city's all-time record.

New York's 68 centimeters was its second-largest snowfall since 1869, and 101 centimeters, almost 40 inches, was recorded near Harper's Ferry, West Virginia.

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