A powerful late-winter snow storm pounded the northeastern United States Monday, cutting power to thousands of homes and grounding hundreds of flights.
Forecasters predicted up to 30 centimeters of snow in several northeastern states. Strong winds also swept across the region.
Municipal workers drove salt trucks and snow plows to clear roads, but motorists still faced hazardous conditions during the morning commute. Many bus services were canceled. U.S. authorities closed schools in several states and delayed the opening of federal offices in Washington.
Heavy snow forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights at airports in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the timing of the storm so late in the winter season proves that the month of March "comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb" (begins strong, leaves gentle).
On Sunday, the storm swept through the southern U.S. states of Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, bringing unusually heavy snowfall to the region.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.