In Washington DC, schools and federal offices have closed today (Wednesday) due to Winter Storm Petra. There have been thousands of flights delayed and cancelled as the weather system pushes east one the United States. Rush hour has been anticipated as being “messy” according to officials as commuters battle icy roads, snow and heavy rain.
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has adjusted its schedule as commuters leave work early to avoid the worst of the wintry conditions.
More than 2,200 flights have been cancelled nationwide, with a further 4,931 delayed at the time of writing, according to flightaware.com.
The largest number of cancellations are in the areas of the Midwest and mid-Atlantic.
The most cancellations for a single airport are at Reagan National Airport, where 42percent of departures and 36percent of arrivals have been cancelled.
Read More: Cyclone Oma path update: Where is Cyclone Oma RIGHT NOW?
Runways at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport had been temporarily closed earlier on Wednesday, due to low visibility and the increasing level of snowfall. They have now reopened.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted a warning to his residents of the impending storm, urging travellers to “allow extra travel time and take mass transit when possible.”
Washington DC’s bus system is operating on a “severe snow plan“ for the whole of Wednesday, taking only major roads and streets.
Metrorail trains are running every 12 minutes in order to allow for de-icing time.
In Pennsylvania, a travel ban is in place for commercial vehicles, and a 45mph speed limit has been enacted for all vehicles for Interstate 70 in Fulton County from the Maryland state line to the Pennsylvania Turnpike and on I-99 from I-80 to the Turnpike.
There have been multiple crashes reported on Interstate 81, one of which was a multiple-vehicle crash involving a jackknifed tractor-trailer, shutting down all southbound lanes between exits 37 and 44.
Several cities have now declared snow emergencies as the storm rolls in, including Norfolk, Virginia, and Sioux City, Iowa.
Snow emergencies put parking restrictions in place on some roads to make it easier for ploughs to navigate.
In the mid-Atlantic, several roads were pretreated, with residents warned only to travel if absolutely necessary.
Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller told the Richmond Times-Dispatch: “If you must travel, then please drive for conditions by slowing your speed, using headlights and avoiding distractions.”
On Tuesday, snow blanketed New Mexico, and more than a foot fell in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Las Vegas has also seen snow, for the second time this month – with earlier this month being the first in a decade for the city to experience snow.