(Reuters) — An expansive winter storm bore down on the U.S. East Coast on Monday (February 15), scuttling almost 1,400 flights and threatening a treacherous wet commute on Tuesday after the holiday weekend.
In Forsyth County, North Carolina, roads were covered with snow and ice, making for tough driving conditions. Local NBC media showed cars stuck by the side of the roads.
In Galax, Virginia, roads were covered with three to four inches of snow. Traffic was sparse and some residents spent the President’s Day holiday shoveling snow from the sidewalks.
By mid-afternoon on Monday, almost 1,400 U.S. flights were canceled, mostly at Washington, North Carolina and New York-area airports, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.com. Many airlines waived change fees as more flights were scrapped.
Tornado watches were in place in Alabama and Louisiana. Heavy rains also drenched Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
The vast storm stretched to western parts of Pennsylvania and New York, where Buffalo was expected to get more than 12 inches of snow.