More than 2,000 flights canceled as snow hits East Coast

Feb. 20 (UPI) -- A weather system that left heavy snow in the West this week produced severe weather along the East Coast, where thousands of flights were canceled Wednesday.

The storm dumped up to 8 inches of snow in parts of northwestern Virginia, 7.8 inches in Minneapolis/St. Paul and 7.2 inches in Sioux Falls, S.D., The Weather Channel Reported.

It also brought more than 2 inches of snow to parts of Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., as well as a half inch in New York City as areas also experienced freezing rain.

"A low pressure system originating from the Gulf of Mexico is gathering strength and lifting northward towards the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes," the National Weather Service said Wednesday. "This is in response to an upper-level trough and strong shortwave impulse tracking across the Plains and Upper Midwest.

"Moisture is surging north from Louisiana to the Ohio Valley and central Appalachians, and heavy rain and some thunderstorms will continue in the warm sector of the low."

The National Weather Service issued far-reaching winter storm warnings from Nebraska to Maryland. Forecasters predicted up to 6 inches of snow in the Philadelphia area before turning into a wintry mix and then rain later Wednesday. The New England area and New York City will see the same mix of snow, ice and rain.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy issued a state of emergency Tuesday night ahead of a storm that was forecast to dump several inches on parts of the state Wednesday.

At least 2,283 flights within, into, or out of the United States were canceled on Wednesday, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. American, Delta, United, JetBlue and Spirit said they would waive fees to change travel dates. Southwest said it would not charge passengers the difference if passengers needed to change flights because of the weather.

Delta, United and American airlines issued travel advisories for all three New York City metro airports Tuesday night, alerting passengers to check for delays and cancellations as the snowy weather arrived.

This season has seen its share of unusually high snow totals around the United States. For example, the Omaha, Neb., metro area has surpassed average snow totals for an entire winter, AccuWeather meteorologist Alyson Hoegg told the Omaha World-Herald.

Before the new snow Wednesday, Omaha had recorded 36 inches this season, topping the typical winter average of 26.5 inches.

The NWS said rain is expected through Friday morning across much of the Deep South as multiple rounds of rainfall will hit the areas. The agency said widespread flash flood watches are in effect for the region.