Hundreds of thousands of homes were without power with temperatures below freezing all day, and utilities warned that it could be days before all service is restored. Plows had scraped down to bare pavement on some main thoroughfares while not touching streets in many areas.
Many school districts across the region were giving students a snow day. For those people stranded, however, the thought of another day of weekend wasn’t much to smile about.
Joel Jones of Durham, N.C., said he was on a bus from Baltimore on Friday. When he arrived in Washington, the rest of the trip was canceled. He walked to Union Station to get a train, where he has remained, sleeping on chairs.
“I’m starting to worry because I take insulin,’’ said the 41-year-old, who has diabetes. “I got enough for like one more shot, so I have enough until tomorrow. Hopefully, I’ll get on the bus in the morning.’’
The National Weather Service called the storm historic and reported a foot of snow in parts of Ohio and 2 feet or more in Washington, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Parts of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia got closer to 3 feet.
Making matters worse, the weather service issued a storm watch for tomorrow, saying there was potential for another 5 inches or more of snow.
In Washington, the sun was finally shining yesterday and the sounds of shovels could be heard on streets. In contrast to Saturday, when people were frolicking on the barren streets, thoughts were on the cleanup.
The snow snapped tree limbs onto power lines, and several roofs collapsed under the weight.
Some people without electricity worried whether the power would return in time for the Super Bowl - though it was an afterthought for others just trying to stay warm.
Julia Nickles-Bryan and her husband, Charles Bryan, were more focused on keeping their twin 7-year-old daughters warm inside their Baltimore home - where the thermostat read 47 degrees. All they had for heat was a gas stove, gas water heater, and a fire in the fireplace.
“We’re basically camping,’’ Nickles-Bryan said.
