An unusual April snowstorm wreaked havoc on the morning commute in the Northeast on Monday, dumping snow and slush on an area stretching from Ohio to coastal southern New England.
Thankfully for snow-weary residents, Monday's storm was fast-moving — with messy roads expected to clear up within hours.
"It's definitely a quick system," said NBC News meteorologist Sherri Pugh. "By early afternoon, we should be done with the snow on the East Coast."
Some areas were hit with just a dusting of snow, while others got close to 7 inches. By mid-morning Monday, parts of Fairfield County, Connecticut, had received up to 6 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service. In New Jersey, the village of Ridgewood got 6.5 inches, the agency said.
Winter weather advisories were in effect in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, as well as parts of southern New England, although the advisories were all set to expire by 2 p.m. ET.
Still, Mother Nature didn't waste any time, dumping snow at a rate of 2 inches per hour early Monday morning at New York's LaGuardia airport. Flights were delayed at both LaGuardia and New York's John F. Kennedy airports, as well as at Newark Liberty airport in New Jersey, and a handful of flights were canceled.
"It is certainly a mess for Monday morning, especially in April."
"It is certainly a mess for Monday morning, especially in April," "Today" Show meteorologist Dylan Dreyer said.
In Connecticut, more than 100 schools were delayed or closed due to slick roads, reported NBC affiliate WVIT in Hartford. In New Jersey, New Jersey state police tweeted that there were 53 motor vehicle crashes, including an overturned tractor-trailer on the New Jersey Turnpike in Springfield Township, on Monday morning.
In New York City's Central Park, 5.5 inches of snow were recorded as of 10 a.m., breaking a 15-year-old measurement from 2003, when 4 inches fell.
The snowfall total fell short of the all-time record for highest snowfall in April in Central Park from 1982, when more than 9 inches fell — but it was still enough to irk New Yorkers.
"I can't believe it's snowing in April," said Jazmin Perez, 22, of the Bronx, adding that she was an hour late to work because of the weather. "It’s supposed to be spring."
The storm even postponed the New York Yankees' home opener against the Tampa Bay Rays until Tuesday afternoon, and rescheduled Monday night's New York Mets' game against the Philadelphia Phillies to a July 9 doubleheader.
And it surprised tourists in the Big Apple.
"It's beautiful, but not in April," said Jennifer Sautter, 52, in midtown, who was visiting from Indiana with her husband and daughter. "Mother Nature is mean!"
Not everyone was upset. Stephanie Stauer, 47, who was visiting New York from California with her daughter, said, "We were excited this morning when we got up."
While the snow was already tapering off as of mid-morning, spring-like temperatures aren't coming to the region anytime soon, Pugh said.
"We're looking at some pretty below average highs on and off this week," she said. "There's a potent cold blast coming at the end of this week that will cover much of the central and eastern U.S."
