Tri-State Residents Dig Out From Season's First Snow

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Following the first snowfall of the season, residents across the Tri-State Area broke out their shovels and snowblowers Sunday.

CBS2's Reena Roy spotted one person after the other digging out in Old Bridge, New Jersey.

"We had to get up extra early, make sure all the cars are done," one woman said. "Just a lot more to do this morning to get ready."

"Nice and cold and rearing to go," said Chip Howard. "It looks beautiful, but work ahead."

Many spent hours scraping and shoveling just to get out of their driveways.

"I did my car first because I hate doing the car -- hate cleaning the car -- then I went and I tried to clean out the sewer and all that junk, so that's done," Susan Pinkowitz said. "The hardest part is when the plows come through."

"I'm going to do it all -- I'm doing the walkway first for the people, and then I'll do the driveway," Howard said.

Digging out was not an easy task, with freezing temperatures forming a layer of ice beneath the snow.

"It's easy on the top, but there's ice on the bottom. So that's going to be a problem," added Howard. "Being a sheet metal worker, I can handle it."

"You can't use the snow blower for that little snow," Pinkowitz said. "So I'm here."

After their first taste, some are hoping we don't see too much snow this season.

"I'm hoping we don't get a lot of snow," Pinkowitz added.

Drivers also dealt with icy road conditions for the first time in a while Sunday morning. In some areas the roads were clear early, but the threat of black ice remained a challenge.

As the first flakes of the season touched down Saturday morning, spreaders and snowplows were already out in full force across New Jersey hard at work to keep the roads clean.

"People got the message," driver Dennis Nardone said. "Stay off the roads."

In New York City, the Department of Sanitation had workers on 12 hour shifts with a fully staffed command center.

The sidewalks were a whole different story. People around the region did their part, hitting the stores for supplies and leaving workers busy tending to the rush of customers.

Many tried to avoid the slushy mess altogether, opting to stay at home on the snowy Saturday. Officials urged people to stay off the roads if they could.

"Nothing major at all," Nardone said. "I didn't see too much."

Some folks simply took time to enjoy the welcomed winter wonderland.

"I couldn't go in my apartment all day," New York City resident John Tryboski said. "I had to play in the snow. It's just great."

Officials urge caution on the roads, noting the cold weather could cause melting snow to refreeze.

The East Coast wasn't the only part of the United States hit hard by snow. States across the south were also digging out from under the white powdery stuff Sunday morning.

Parts of Atlanta saw seven to eight inches, while parts of Alabama got a whopping ten inches. Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport reported 375 flight cancellations leaving travelers sleeping on terminal floors.

Thousands remained without power in North Carolina, where crews were working to clear ice and tree branches off power lines to get the heat and lights back on.