A storm predicted to be among the worst to hit the Northeast has dumped a few inches of snow from Philadelphia up to Boston and beyond, and much more is expected. States of emergency have been declared; airports, schools and city offices have closed; roadway travel bans have been issued; mass transit, by train and ferry, has shut down.

Tens of millions of people along the Philadelphia-to-Boston corridor raced home to avoid getting caught in the swirling snow Monday. Areas usually teeming with pedestrians, such as Times Square in New York and the boardwalk in Revere, Massachusetts, were almost empty except for cleaning crews. In parks, a few people took the opportunity to use their skis, sleds and other winter recreational equipment.