Jordan’s 40th Is a Snow Day

A major snowstorm Sunday forced postponement of several sports events, including today’s game between the Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards in Washington, depriving Michael Jordan of a chance to play on his 40th birthday. The game was rescheduled for March 4.

The Raptors played at home Sunday afternoon, defeating the Orlando Magic, 99-97, and left for the airport immediately afterward. The postponement was announced shortly thereafter by the NBA.

Snow fell Sunday from Missouri to New Jersey, and flakes fell at a rate of up to four inches an hour in parts of Maryland.

The Washington area’s Baltimore-Washington International and Reagan National airports were closed Sunday, while Dulles International Airport had only one runway open during the afternoon.

Also postponed was a college basketball game between defending national champion Maryland and Wake Forest. The key Atlantic Coast Conference game in College Park, Md., was one of dozens of sports events disrupted. Several race tracks canceled cards for Sunday and today.

Several minor league hockey and women’s college basketball games also were called off.

Driving conditions around the Washington area were especially dangerous, which is why the Wake Forest-Maryland game was postponed.

The Demon Deacons beat the snow by arriving in College Park on Friday, but officials called off the game because of concerns about the safety of fans, game officials and arena employees.

The game was tentatively rescheduled for this afternoon, although it’s unlikely travel conditions in the Washington area will improve dramatically by then. A decision will be made this morning.

At Laurel Park in Maryland, snow forced the postponement of horse racing on Saturday, Sunday and today. The racing card at Philadelphia Park was canceled Sunday by snow, and Aqueduct in New York abandoned Sunday’s card after one race and postponed today’s racing.