People across the U.S. Northeast coast woke up on Thursday to blankets of snow and ice as a major winter storm delivered a disruptive blow to transportation systems over Wednesday. Forecasters say the sprawling system could dump up to 2 feet (60 cm) of snow in the area and already broke a decades-old snowfall record in Pennsylvania. By mid-afternoon on Wednesday, the Nor'easter had brought a wintry mix to Washington and wind-whipped snow to New York City, parts of Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania as it threatened a swath of the country that is home to more than 50 million people. Officials throughout the area urged motorists to stay off the roads and residents to stay home, as sleet and freezing rain are expected as the storm tracks through the regions
