The big chill! Washington turns white as winter storm dumps record breaking snow
A winter storm packing heavy snow forced the closure of the American capital; vaccination centres, schools and government offices all opted to remain close owing to the weather conditions

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A winter storm packing heavy snow blew into Washington, closing government offices and schools. Monday's snowfall became the heaviest one-day total since January 2016 and eclipsed the one-day total from January 2019. Capitol Heights, Maryland, recorded 11.5 inches of snow and Baltimore/Washington International Airport reported 6.7 inches. AP

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The heavy snowfall, coupled with coronavirus cases, forced much of Washington to shut down. Four of the Smithsonian museums had already closed in late December due to a COVID-19 outbreak, and the National Zoo announced Monday that it would close for the day because of the snow. AP

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Washington, DC mayor Muriel Bowser declared a snow emergency and advised residents to stay home. “Stay off the roads and allow our crews to work,” she said. AP

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Many COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites were closed in DC, Virginia and in Maryland due to the weather. Multiple school districts in the region also said they would be closed, delayed or have virtual learning Monday. AFP

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Some welcomed the snow. “Things have been feeling a bit stressful in the world lately so to walk around in the snow with friends is a nice return to normalcy,” said Andrea Klein, a graduate student while strolling around the National Mall taking pictures. AP

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More than half the flights were delayed or cancelled on Monday at Washington’s three major airports, according to FlightAware.com’s misery map. A quarter of the flights at New York’s three major airports were delayed or cancelled as well. AP

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Other parts of the US were also dealing with a snowy start to the new year. Western Washington state and Oregon were seeing a mix of rain and snow while heavy snow, gusty winds, drifts and crashes shut down mountain passes and some highways. AFP

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Snow falls at the White House in Washington. The snow grounded Joe Biden’s helicopter so he drove to the White House from Andrews Air Force Base in suburban Maryland after a weekend in Delaware. AP