A treacherous wintry storm slammed the East Coast on Saturday, dumping more than a foot of snow in some areas and creating misery for motorists on the weekend. Officials urged residents to stay indoors, and many heeded the warning. Airports canceled flights or were operating with excessive delays. Drivers abandoned their cars as roads and highways became impassable. Forecasts called for up to 20 inches of snow across the region. The nation"s capital was blanketed in white. Snowplows cleared the runway at Andrews Air Force Base in suburban Washington as President Barack Obama returned from climate talks in Copenhagen. The White House said Obama rode in a motorcade back to the White House, instead of taking his helicopter, because of the conditions. In western Virginia, officials said several hundred motorists became stranded and had to be rescued by four-wheeled vehicles and Humvees driven by the National Guard. About 100 people were taken to shelters in two counties, said Virginia Department of Emergency Management spokesman Bob Spieldenner. Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said traffic was moving, though slowly. One fatality had been reported, but otherwise there were no medical emergencies, she said. Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty had declared a snow emergency for the city and forecasters issued a blizzard warning, saying the conditions could worsen. Philadelphia also declared a snow emergency and the school district canceled all weekend activities. Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport outside Washington each had one runway open, but airlines had canceled most of their flights. --SPA
