Major winter storm covers 13 states, breaking snowfall records as it moves east

About 200,000 customers across several states were without power early Monday.

ByMax Golembo and Emily Shapiro ABCNews logo
Monday, January 6, 2025 2:48PM
Winter storm forces hundreds of flight cancellations and delays
The wicked winter weather is wreaking havoc for millions of Americans on one of the busiest travel days of the new year.

A major winter storm that broke snowfall records in the Midwest is now hitting the mid-Atlantic, bringing with it a heavy mix of snow and ice and canceling more than 1,400 flights across the U.S.

The heaviest snow and ice is moving into the Appalachians and the East Coast's Interstate 95 corridor on Monday, with states of emergency in effect in West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland.

As a deep winter chill begins to take over the northern half of the country, a new major winter storm will move across the U.S.
As a deep winter chill begins to take over the northern half of the country, a new major winter storm will move across the U.S.

Schools are closed in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

A winter storm warning was issued for Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, where 8 to 12 inches of snow is possible. If D.C. gets more than 8.3 inches, it would be the biggest snowstorm for the city since 2016.

Federal offices are closed in D.C., where a snow emergency is in effect until at least the end of Tuesday, officials said.

D.C. Transportation Department director Sharon Kershbaum told ABC News Live that the city has been preparing for weeks and has geared up nearly 250 snowplows.

"If you don't need to travel, please don't," she said, adding, "Our priority is to make sure that Congress can get where they need to."

Although federal offices are closed, Congress will gather on Monday for a joint session to certify the results of the 2024 election, the final step before President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20.

A winter weather advisory was issued for Philadelphia, where 2 to 4 inches of snow could fall and make roads very slick.

RELATED: Winter weather advisory as Philadelphia region braces for heavy snow | LIVE RADAR

The heaviest snow should end from D.C. to Baltimore on Monday morning, but snow showers are forecast to linger into the evening.

New York City could see a dusting of snow. Boston is not expected to see any snow.

Snow should be gone from the East Coast by Monday night.

Before hitting the East Coast, this storm hit the Midwest on Sunday.

Snowfall totals have topped 1 foot in several places, including Chapman and Topeka, Kansas, where the storm dumped 18 inches and 14 inches, respectively.

The 5 inches of snow that fell in Cincinnati on Sunday is the city's new single-day record for Jan. 5.

Three fatalities have been attributed to the storm: one in Missouri and two in Kansas, officials said.

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