Chicago sets snowfall record as mid-Atlantic braces - CNN

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People stand under the snow-covered "Cloud Gate" sculpture, commonly known as "the bean," on Tuesday, March 5, in Chicago, Illinois. Click through the gallery to see more weather images from around the world.

Left to right: Anthony Jordan and his 6-year-old twin sons Griffin and Landin shovel their driveway in Sycamore, Illinois, on March 5.

A traffic police officer patrols during heavy wind and snowfall in Kiev, Ukraine, on March 4.

Lightning strikes over Jakarta's skyline late on March 3 during monsoon rains.

Tourists enjoy donkey rides on Filey Beach on March 2 in Filey, England.

Gardener Ruth Calder clears weeds and dead leaves at Kew Gardens on March 1 in Kew, England.

A man covers his face as he walks around Tiananmen Square during a sand storm in heavily polluted weather in Beijing on February 28.

A man and a dog cross the flooded graveyard in the village of Monospitovo, Macedonia, on February 27. Torrential rains poured down on the Strumica Valley, destroying or damaging crops and households.

Ducks fly over the frozen Titisee Lake in Titisee-Neustadt, Germany, on February 27.

Frost-covered plants are seen on banks of the Usiazha River near the Belarus village of Usiazha, on February 26.

A person walks through the snow at Marienplatz in Munich, Germany, on February 26.

• NEW: United cancels 650 flights for Wednesday
• Chicago sets snowfall record for the day
• Wednesday will be crunch day for Northeast
• Heavy snow possible in upper elevations in Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia

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(CNN) -- A corridor of winter weather made its way across the Ohio Valley and upper Midwest on Tuesday, breaking a snowfall record in Chicago.
The system dumped heavy snow in places as it moved toward the District of Columbia and Baltimore, which braced for potentially heavy accumulations, according to a National Weather Service bulletin.
Chicago's O'Hare International Airport had 6 inches of snow by the afternoon, besting a 1999 record for the date by 2.2 inches. It was the first 6-inch snowfall in the Windy City since the Groundhog Day blizzard of 2011, the National Weather Service said.
O'Hare canceled 900 flights and reported delays, while Chicago's other major airport, Midway, canceled 240 flights, according to the city's aviation department. Passengers were advised to check their airline's website to confirm flight status.
United Airlines said about 650 flights systemwide for Wednesday were canceled, most to and from Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C.
"They will try to get as many aircraft out of Dulles today (Tuesday) as possible so they are not sitting in a snow storm," United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy told CNN. "This helps speed up the resumption of flights after the storm is passed. "

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Chicago gears up for severe snowfall

Washington prepares for severe snow
By midafternoon Tuesday, Lake City, Minnesota, had been blanketed with 11.5 inches of snow since Sunday morning. New Hampton, Iowa, had 8.6 inches and the level stood at 15 inches in Langdon, North Dakota.
The storm will intensify in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast on Wednesday, said CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen, with a rain-snow line from Washington to Boston. West of the line will see significant snowfall, particularly in the higher elevations of Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia.
Track the storm
One weather model predicts that the snow won't make it to the District of Columbia, said CNN meteorologist Ivan Cabrera. Another says Washington, Philadelphia and Boston could see a foot of snow.
The Washington suburb of Alexandria, Virginia, is prepared to deploy scores of trucks and snow plows, CNN's Weather Center said. Washington and Baltimore were under a winter storm warning Tuesday evening.
Arlington National Cemetery put in place inclement weather plans for Wednesday.
Interstate 95, connecting the capital with Philadelphia, could see heavy snow, the weather service warned.
Severe weather hit Gordon County, Georgia, on Tuesday afternoon, more than a month after a fierce system caused widespread damage in the area. Officials reported downed power lines, trees and damage to homes, said Cpl. Andrew York of the county's dispatch center.
About 10 homes were damaged, officials told CNN. No injuries have been reported so far.
CNN's Joe Sutton, Aaron Cooper and Carma Hassan and CNN meteorologist Sean Morris contributed to this report.