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New York Weather: Snow Alert In Effect As Wintry Weather Settles In

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) - Another round of wintry weather impacted our area Wednesday, with conditions steadily worsening following the morning commute.

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Ahead of the storm's arrival, New York City's Department of Sanitation issued a snow alert which enabled the DSNY to coordinate with the Office of Emergency Management and Department of Transportation on snow clearing.

Only a few inches of snow fell along the Interstate 95 corridor from New York to Washington, but it was enough to put a scare into an area that has seen little of it this winter. Schools and government offices around the region closed early.

Across the Hudson River in New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy placed a restriction on commercial travel along interstate highways.

CBS2's Hazel Sanchez in New Jersey

"Our main concern with the storm is its impact on the evening commute," Murphy said.

The evening commute started out on a good note. A spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic had said earlier in the afternoon it appeared motorists heeded warnings to stay off roads.

Nationwide, more than 2,200 flights were canceled and more than 5,500 were delayed, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware. The mid-Atlantic region was especially hard hit as airlines pulled flights ahead of the storm. Washington's Reagan National Airport led the pack.

"Travel anymore is not easy, so you expect the unexpected," said Stacy Flye, trying to get home to Florida. "And you know, we knew the weather was going to be bad, but sometimes you just have to take your chances."

Amtrak made changes to its Keystone service between New York and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Multiple crashes, including a jackknifed tractor-trailer, shut down westbound lanes of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Lancaster County.

On Long Island, kids on winter break were disappointed they didn't get more of the white stuff. Barely enough accumulated for a snowball fight. Still, drivers made sure to take it easy on the roads.

CBS2's Jennifer McLogan On Long Island

"When people don't pay attention... it gets a bit dangerous," George Macias of Levittown said.

The cold temperatures may result in freezing on contact with the surface, or sleet. From 9 p.m.-midnight the rain will really settle in and temperatures will rise dramatically into the 50s on Thursday.

"More snow migrates over the area through the commute. Watch for slippery spots. Please slow down," CBS2's John Elliott advised. "And then, nothing slowing this down. That rain is going to fill in between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m."

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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