A resident removes snow away from the entrance to his home in Union City, New Jersey, across the Hudson River from Midtown Manhattan, after the second-biggest winter storm in New York history, January 24, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency, as did 10 other governors.

"You never like to disrupt transportation and commerce. However, the storm was fast and furious," Cuomo said.

Broadway theaters canceled Saturday matinee and evening performances, and a Bruce Springsteen concert scheduled for Sunday was called off.

Tourists and residents took to the streets in New York, with some venturing into parks on skis. Others built snowmen and had snowball fights.

About 3,500 flights were canceled on Sunday, with more than 600 already called for Monday, according to FlightAware, the aviation data and tracking website.

United Airlines said it would not operate at Washington area airports on Sunday, and would gradually resume services on Monday. The airline planned to start "very limited operations" on Sunday afternoon at its hub in Newark, New Jersey.

The record high of 71.1 cm of snow in Washington was set in 1922, while the biggest recent snowfall was 45.2 cm in 2010.

REUTERS — AFP