Cold temperatures, snow hit storm-weary East Coast

The latest in a seemingly unending parade of snowstorms moved over the East Coast on Saturday, dropping a wintry mix as far south as northern Georgia and potentially causing more headaches for snow-weary New England.

The National Weather Service said the storm was expected to bring 6 inches or more of snow to some areas in the Northeast by this morning. By Saturday night, about 8 inches had fallen in Baltimore, while Washington had 5 inches and New York City had two. Once the storm leaves, another round of bitter cold temperatures will linger across the region for most of the upcoming week.

The storm caused hassles all over: Rain and above-freezing temperatures in Tennessee prompted state emergency officials to warn of possible flash flooding from melting snow. Officials in the Washington area, where 4 to 8 inches were expected, urged drivers to avoid unnecessary travel. Blowing snow swirled through the streets of Philadelphia and New York City.

“The arctic air mass we’ve been dealing with means this storm will overachieve,” said Lance Franck, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly, New Jersey.

The Federal Aviation Administration briefly issued a ground stop on Saturday to keep flights from taking off for Philadelphia International Airport because of reduced visibility and high winds, airport spokeswoman Mary Flannery said.