North-eastern US and Canada hit by snow storm

The snow become heavier on Wednesday evening, snarling rush-hour traffic and affecting President Barack Obama's motorcade.

Schools in Washington DC, Pennsylvania have announced closures, and dozens of flights have been cancelled or delayed.

Forecasters in Canada's Maritimes provinces predicted up to 30cm of snow.

Snow began falling on Long Island, west of New York City, early on Wednesday morning, and local roads were quickly blanketed.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, urging New Yorkers to stay off the roads and suspending parking regulations and rubbish collection.

US President Barack Obama's retun to the White House from a trip to Wisconsin was affected after the weather grounded the helicopter that typically takes him into Washington from the military base where his Air Force One aircraft lands.

Mr Obama was met by his motorcade which spent an hour weaving through stalled rush hour traffic on a journey that normally takes it about 20 minutes.

In the US capital, Washington DC, the National Weather Service warned that "very hazardous or impossible travel" was expected amid strong winds and "significant amounts of snow".

It has snowed so much in the town of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, this winter that clean up crews are running out of places to move ploughed snow to.

Portsmouth public works director David Allen told the Associated Press that the snow dump on nearby Pierce Island is already about five stories high.

"It's time to get a lift up on it and we could probably do a ski run," he joked. Kazinform cites BBC. See www.bbc.co.uk for full version