Snowstorm leaves half a million without power in Maryland and Virginia

A snowstorm struck the U.S. East Coast on Monday, dumping up to 12 inches of snow on Maryland and Virginia and leaving 500,000 people in the greater D.C. area without power, The Washington Post reports.

Snow began falling Sunday night, prompting federal agencies, Smithsonian museums, and schools to close. For many districts, Monday had been scheduled to be the first day of classes after winter break.

Stafford County School District, located about an hour south of D.C., announced at around 1:00 p.m. ET Monday afternoon that schools would also be closed Tuesday. Additional closures are likely.

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By 2:15 p.m. ET, Monday, the snow had stopped falling except in southern Maryland. Weather forecasts predict freezing temperatures overnight as well as the chance of more snow Thursday.

The New York Post reported that, after Air Force One landed at Maryland's Joint Base Andrews in the middle of the storm, President Biden was stuck on the runway for 36 minutes while it was being plowed. It took his motorcade over an hour — more than twice the usual time — to reach the White House.

According to NBC News, other parts of the East Coast were also affected. Two children, one in Georgia and another in Tennessee, were killed by falling trees. Around 85,000 people in Georgia lost electricity, as did 75,000 in South Carolina. New Jersey declared a state of emergency for the southern part of the state, parts of which were blanketed by more than 12 inches of snow.