Another round of snow, ice barrels through mid-Atlantic states

WASHINGTON, March 3 (UPI) -- A system of snow, ice, frigid temperatures and rain bore down on the mid-Atlantic states as it moved east across the United States Monday, forecasters said.

The federal government closed offices Monday in Washington, where rain, ice and a possible foot of snow was expected. CNN reported Congress put off its Monday business until Tuesday as well.

School systems from Dallas to Philadelphia canceled Monday classes.

Several states, including Delaware and Tennessee, declared states of emergency.

Amtrak cut service around Wilmington, Del., WJLA-TV, Washington, reported.

Law enforcement agencies in Arkansas and Oklahoma blamed a weekend storm for two traffic-related deaths. In Arkansas, a man was killed Sunday when he lost control of his vehicle and hit a retaining wall. In Oklahoma, a pedestrian was killed Saturday during freezing rain.

The heaviest snow was expected in the mountains of West Virginia to northern and central Virginia and southern New Jersey through Monday, forecasters said.

Washington; Harrisonburg, Va.; Baltimore; Dover, Del.; and Atlantic City, N.J., could see 6 to 12 inches of snow or more, AccuWeather.com said.

A winter storm warning was issued for the Washington area.

FlightAware.com reported more than 2,400 cancellations and more than 2,000 delays at all U.S. airports. Reagan National in Washington reported 74 percent of its departures and 66 percent of its incoming flights were delayed at midday.

This storm system dropped heavy amounts of sleet from Texas into the Tennessee Valley, including 6 inches of sleet in Huntingdon, Tenn., AccuWeather.com said.

Freezing rain left thousands of customers without power in Arkansas as of early Monday morning.

Sleet and freezing rain created slippery road conditions in Kentucky, with state officials reporting crashes closed a portion of Interstate 75 south of Lexington Sunday.