Several sporting events from NFL games to harness races were postponed Saturday as a winter storm swept across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, dumping more than a foot of snow in some areas.
In Philadelphia, the Eagles-49ers game on Sunday was pushed back to 4:15 p.m. from 1 p.m., and the Bears-Ravens game in Baltimore also was pushed back to the late-afternoon slot.
The Bears’ flight was already delayed — they hoped to leave Friday night, but never got off the ground.
Travel across the region was crippled and the storm caused widespread power outages.
Forecasts called for up to 20 inches of snow across the region, and authorities in Virginia said three people were killed by the storm. In Ohio, two people were killed in accidents on snow-covered roads hit by the same storm system.
Mayors in Washington and Philadelphia declared snow emergencies and the governors in Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Delaware declared states of emergency.
“It’s going to be an all day thing. It’s going to be on and off,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Kevin Witt in Sterling, Va.
Several college basketball games were postponed, too. Virginia’s home game against UNC-Wilmington was put off until later in the season, even though the Seahawks were already in Charlottesville. Athletic director Craig Littlepage said the school didn’t want to make fans come out in heavy snow on slick roads.
The university’s aquatic and fitness center has been opened as a Red Cross emergency shelter for stranded travelers.
In Washington, a men’s game between Maryland-Baltimore County and American was rescheduled from Saturday to Sunday, and George Washington’s women’s game against Mount St. Mary’s also was postponed, but hadn’t been rescheduled yet.
New Jersey’s Freehold Raceway canceled its live harness racing card and simulcast wagering, saying it planned to reopen on Sunday, when only simulcasting is scheduled.
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