-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Heavy snow pummeled much of the East Coast on Wednesday , battering states for the second time in a week and forcing many people to stay home from school and jobs . Several cities had record snowfalls . The storm canceled or delayed flights in several cities , kept federal workers home for a third straight day in Washington , and taxed local government budgets as cities and counties scrambled to pay for snow removal , overtime , salt , supplies and equipment . In Washington , the snow was falling at a rate of 2 inches per hour at one point in the afternoon , CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras said . Forecasters predicted that Washington winds would gust to 50 mph overnight . A blizzard warning was to be in effect in the Washington area until 7 p.m. , the National Weather Service said . Blowing snow caused such poor visibility at midday that snowplows temporarily parked by the side of the road , authorities said . Forecasters predicted that the storm would dump a total of 8 to 10 inches inside the Capital Beltway -LRB- Interstate 495 -RRB- , with higher amounts to the north . Watch the forecast on the storm 's trek `` Even if you 're in a SUV , it 's difficult to get around , '' Washington Police Chief Cathy Lanier said . `` You ca n't see the Capitol dome through the snow , '' even standing a few yards away . Share your winter weather photos , videos Government buildings were eerily quiet . The Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service buildings were shut . No one answered the door at the Justice Department , though the attorney general 's office said work was still being done at key counterterrorism offices . The U.S. Postal Service said it was experiencing delays in processing mail . Subway service was expected to be limited Thursday to underground stations , and bus service was expected to be suspended on Thursday . Federal agencies were to be closed Thursday , too , and non-emergency employees were to be granted the day off . This winter already has become the snowiest on record for Washington and its suburbs , as well as Baltimore , Maryland , and Wilmington , Delaware , the National Weather Service said . It 's also on pace to become the snowiest season on record in other cities , including Atlantic City , New Jersey , and Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . Blizzard warnings also were in effect Wednesday for Asheville , North Carolina ; Newark and Atlantic City , New Jersey ; Baltimore , Maryland ; Dover , Delaware ; New York and nearby Long Island ; and Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . Under a blizzard warning , the following conditions are expected to be seen for three hours or longer : wind speeds of 35 mph or more and considerable falling and/or blowing of snow with visibility near zero -LRB- less than one-fourth mile -RRB- , the weather service said . In Atlantic City , the landmark Boardwalk -- lined with shops , restaurants and casinos -- remained open despite the snow . New York was to be under a blizzard warning until 6 a.m. Thursday , but the snow was expected to stop falling late Wednesday night . Forecasters predicted wind gusts up to 50 mph and predicted the city will have received 12 to 20 inches of snow by the time the storm ends . In Pennsylvania , all of Interstates 76 , 78 , 83 , 176 , 476 and 676 , as well as state road 581 , were closed Wednesday because of blizzard conditions , the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said on its Web site . Part of I-81 was closed , it said . Interstate 80 near Clearfield , Pennsylvania , was shut after two pileups -- one involving 17 cars and the other involving seven cars , said Rich Kirkpatrick from the state 's Department of Transportation . One person died and another person was seriously injured , police said . Philadelphia was under a blizzard warning until midnight , and could have as much as 20 inches of snow by the time it stops , forecasters said . In Boston , Massachusetts , snowfall rates of 2 to 3 inches an hour were expected along the Interstate 95 corridor into the evening . A winter storm warning was in effect until 1 a.m. Thursday , with final snow totals of 5 to 10 inches , the weather service said . Thousands of flights were delayed or canceled to and from airports in Baltimore , Boston , New York , Philadelphia and Washington , airlines reported . East Coast storm grounds thousands of flights `` We 're working , and we 're plowing as best we can , and then once the winds diminish some , we 'll be able to start hauling snow off the airfield as we 've been doing for six days now , '' said Tara Hamilton , spokeswoman for Washington Dulles International and Reagan Washington National airports , both of which closed Wednesday . The airports did not plan to reopen until about 7 a.m. Thursday . New York area airports were operational Wednesday afternoon , but airlines canceled most flights in and out of LaGuardia , Newark Liberty International and John F. Kennedy International airports . Rajesh Moorjani , one of the stranded travelers at the Newark , New Jersey , airport , had flown from India on Tuesday night , intending to get a connecting flight to California . On Wednesday , he was getting used to the idea of being stuck on the East Coast for a day , CNN affiliate WABC reported . `` I 'm just kind of trying to get in touch with old classmates , ex-colleagues ... trying to put a message on Facebook saying : ` If anybody is in New York , let 's get in touch , ' '' he told WABC . WABC : Storm socks New Jersey Amtrak was still providing limited service for Boston , New York and Washington . But most passenger rail service south of Washington was canceled . `` The massive storm has resulted in downed trees and power lines on portions of CSX freight railroad tracks south of Washington resulting in continued service cancellations in Virginia , and the Carolinas , '' the rail line 's Web site said . Bus travelers fared no better . `` Pretty much everything out of Virginia , New York , D.C. , etc. at this time has been canceled , '' said Maureen Richmond , director of media relations for Greyhound , which transports 22 million passengers per year . `` We 're operating where we can , based on weather and road conditions , '' she said . She urged would-be passengers to call the company 's ticketing line . Due to improved weather conditions in the Chicago , Illinois , area , airlines were reporting no delays at O'Hare and Midway International Airports . Many businesses in Greenwich , Connecticut , about 30 miles northeast of New York City , closed early Wednesday , in part to allow workers to travel home before the worst of the storm hit . Diane Garett planned to keep her bookstore open , but she gave her employees the day off , WABC reported . `` I just felt it was just safer if they stayed home , '' she told WABC . `` Plus a lot of their children are home from school . So I did n't think it was right to ask them to come to work . '' Hardware store owner Troy Usnik was taking somewhat of a breather Wednesday in snowy Philadelphia . The owner of 10th Street Hardware said he sold well over 100 shovels and 200 to 300 bags of salt Tuesday . `` Today seems kind of quiet , but there was a mad rush yesterday . Sales were brisk . Last night was a panic and everyone who did n't have it came out to buy shovels and salt . '' Early Wednesday , the snow turned to sleet in Philadelphia , but roads were passable and buses were driving along emergency routes , Usnik said . The National Weather Service predicted 9 to 13 more inches of snow . New York deployed 1,600 salt spreaders to care for 65 miles of roads , CNN meteorologist Rob Marciano said . The winter of 2009-2010 has become the snowiest on record for : • Baltimore , which has received at least 72.3 inches of snow this winter • Washington , where Dulles airport has received 72 inches of snow this winter and Reagan National airport has received 54.9 inches • Wilmington , Delaware , which has received at least 59.5 inches of snow this winter , breaking its previous record of 55.9 inches . CNN 's Sean Morris , Nicole Saidi , Steve Kastenbaum , Scott Spoerry , and Jean Shin contributed to this report .