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After blizzard, snowed-in East Coast prepares to dig out

Pedestrians walk in New York, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. A massive winter storm buried much of the U.S. East Coast in a foot or more of snow by Saturday, shutting down transit in major cities, stranding drivers on snowbound highways, knocking out power to tens of thousands of people. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) Pedestrians walk in New York, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. A massive winter storm buried much of the U.S. East Coast in a foot or more of snow by Saturday, shutting down transit in major cities, stranding drivers on snowbound highways, knocking out power to tens of thousands of people. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

By Associated Press January 24, 2016 1 min read

NEW YORK (AP) – Millions of Americans were preparing to dig out of snow-packed cities and towns after a mammoth blizzard sacked the East Coast.

Travel bans in New York City and Baltimore were expected to be lifted early Sunday morning. And some airlines were considering restarting limited service at New York-area airports.

But much of mid-Atlantic region remained crippled by the storm. A blizzard with hurricane-force winds shuttered mass transit systems, forced businesses to close and contributed to at least 18 deaths.

Officials said Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport were likely to remain closed Sunday.

And the storm that dumped as much as 3 feet of snow in places raised flood waters in New Jersey and elsewhere along the Atlantic Coast.