Snow storm buries much of north-east

The storm dumped as much as three feet of snow across New England, with hurricane-strength gusts helping to create massive drifts.

The blizzard engulfing Boston's Logan Airport was so severe that ploughing operations were abandoned overnight.

Amtrak rail links between New York and Boston remained closed until the evening, but trains were starting to resume normal schedules to Washington.

With wind and heavy snow having snapped power lines, more than 650,000 customers lost electricity, including around 400,000 in Massachusetts, 187,000 in Rhode Island, and 35,000 in Connecticut.

Utility companies in Connecticut said they were expecting up to 30 per cent of their customers, or more than 400,000 homes, to eventually lose power.