Winter's Worst Weather Hits East

Feb. 22, 2008 — -- Travel is becoming increasingly dicey today as the East Coast continues to suffer from hours of snow, sleet and rain.

Airports have been particularly hard hit after hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed.

The airports in the New York City area are experiencing delays ranging from three hours at LaGuardia to close to five at Kennedy International airport.

Ripple effects from these delays are already spreading across the country.

Much of the East woke up today to the most severe weather so far this winter.

Snow started falling across the region before daybreak from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia and back up to New York City. Some spots racked up 4 to 6 inches before the morning commute was done.

Snow is expected to fall from Virginia to Boston by the end of today. In Connecticut, winter storm warnings are in effect until Saturday. A southbound section of Interstate 95 was closed for several hours after a tractor-trailer jackknifed near Greenwich.

Schools closing have been reported from Ohio to Connecticut.

Forecasters say the afternoon commute could be even worse in many places. Some areas will see snow turn to rain or freezing rain.

Dean Iovino, a National Weather Service meteorologist, told The Associated Press that a bit more snow would fall, but that it gradually would change to sleet and rain. "It's going to get even more messy as we progress," he said.

By late morning, snow in southern New Jersey and Philadelphia had already turned to freezing rain.

More than 2,000 salt and sand trucks are out in force across New Jersey.

The same front is bringing heavy rain and the chance of flooding across much of the Southeast today.

Up to 6 inches of rain could fall in parts of Georgia and Alabama. In Mississippi, flood watches and warnings were posted for the Pearl River.

The storm moved Thursday across much of the Midwest including Missouri and Kansas, which got a nasty mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain, triggering hundreds of accidents

"They said something about black ice," said one driver stuck in a huge Kansas traffic jam. Another driver said he did not know when he would get home. " It's bad, backed up for miles."

In Montgomery County, Indiana, a man died after losing control of his truck. In Bowling Green, Ky., students were stranded for hours on their school bus after it got stuck in the slippery mess.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.