Storm pounds snowbound Mid-Atlantic, Philly, and New York

story by AP
photo by Kirk Tanter

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A blizzard howled up the East Coast on Wednesday, making roads from Baltimore to New York City so treacherous that even plow drivers pulled over and bringing more misery to a Mid-Atlantic region poised to have its snowiest winter on record.

In Pennsylvania, the governor closed large stretches of three major highways because the second major storm in less than a week was making travel too risky. In Washington, snow fell so hard that people on the National Mall could not see the Capitol. Many people in the region were still without power from the historic storm over the weekend, and even more were expected to lose it during this one.

"The snow has just been relentless," said Washington Fire Chief Dennis L. Rubin, a D.C. native who said the back-to-back storms are like nothing he has ever experienced. "It doesn't seem like we're getting much of a break."

Up to 16 inches fell in parts of western Maryland and Reagan National Airport in Washington had 9 inches by midday. That was on top of totals up to 3 feet in some places from the weekend storm.

The federal government was closed for a third straight day. The longest weather-related government shutdown ever was in 1996, when employees did not have to go to work for a full week.