Snowstorm sweeps New York City

NEW YORK (AA) - Residents of New York and New Jersey awoke Thursday to the biggest snowstorm in the northeastern U.S. this winter, leaving millions of commuters swamped in sludge and battling high winds as traffic ground to a halt.

Schools were closed in many area including Boston, Philadelphia and New York City, where the United Nations headquarters also declared a one-day shutdown due to the blizzard.

The thundersnow that forced the cancelation of thousands of flights and brought life to a standstill came less than 24 hours temperatures hit a season high of 60 degrees Fahrenheit (16 degrees Celsius) in some places.

State administrations in the region called on residents to stay off roads and limit unessential travel to allow plows and emergency vehicles to operate.

The snowfall is expected to taper off later Thursday as the fast-moving storm moves north toward the New England area.