Bitter Snowstorm Batters Region

Winter delivered another major wallop to parts of the East, tangling air and ground traffic, closing schools and dropping blankets of snow on roads. The storm blew down from the upper Midwest, crossed the Appalachians and then surged up the coast. Snowfall ranged from 9 inches in Minnesota to 5 inches in Baltimore. Philadelphia expected up to 4 inches, but coastal communities to the north braced for near nor’easter conditions, with potential gale-force winds swirling the snow and blurring visibility. Airline passengers throughout the region had to cope with delays and cancellations. Schools were closed across Washington, Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland.