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Coverage of the storm that is expected to impact for like 85 million people; 11-12mn ET

Aired January 23, 2016 - 23:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[23:00:18] CAROL COSTELLO, CNN HOST: And hello. I'm Carol Costello live in New York City along with Jim Sciutto live in Washington D.C. And this is a history-making moment.

25.1 inches of snow recorded in central park as of 7:00 p.m. eastern. That's the most that it has fallen since 1869. It is an incredible sight. Right now the snow is pretty much abated but it remains very cold and ice is falling from the buildings because it is warm against the buildings. The ice is falling off. So if you are out and about please be very, very careful.

Jim, what is it look like in D.C.?

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: Well, Carol, it is only the biggest snow we have seen in D.C. since 1922, just 94 years. But I will tell you just in the last 20 minutes or so, I have seen something we haven't seen in D.C. in 33 hours of snowfall. And that is a relatively clear sky. The snow maybe finally tapering off here, but that is not before these clouds dumped two feet in the district. Three feet in southern Maryland. Western Maryland getting up to four feet. It is epic and now it is about the cleanup. No question.

It is going to be a sunny day tomorrow but our smart meteorologists have been telling us throughout the night. It means some ice as you get into Sunday night. So the cleanup is something certainly that is going extend into days. And we have already seen the cost of this storm in and around the D.C. area and further south. Some 14 deaths mostly from traffic accidents.

In Virginia, just across the river here. Some 1300 in the state of Virginia alone. Very dangerous and that's why you have had so many public officials calling for people to stay off the roads. It is a valuable warning. And I know you have been seeing the same thing there in New York, Carol.

COSTELLO: Absolutely. Three people have died due to the -- well not directly but related to this -- there is more falling ice. I'm telling you it is really -- it is really kind of freaky. So be very careful out here if you are walking around. But I was saying three died in the New York City area. They died while they were shoveling snow. They died of heart attacks.

So as you are cleaning up tomorrow and I know you are going to be out there first thing tomorrow morning, shoveling that snow. Please, please be very careful and take it easy. Remember it is Sunday. There is no hurry. Take your time.

You know the people really getting hit by this, they live along the jersey shore because there is massive flooding there right now. We are talking about feet of water in some towns like Margate New Jersey.

Is that what you are looking at right now? You are looking at another town. But there are other towns along the jersey shore that are just getting -- isn't this incredible and weird to think that it could flood like this during a blizzard? But that is exactly what happening. The water is rushing over the bulk heads into the town.

On the phone with me right now is Jason Pellegrini. He lives in Sea Isle, New Jersey.

Jason welcome.

JASON PELLEGRINI, SEA ISLE RESIDENT (on the phone): Hi, how are you.

COSTELLO: I'm probably doing a lot better than you are. Tell me what it's like in Sea Isle.

PELLEGRINI: Well we were supposed to be open for breakfast this morning. And last night we made the decision not to open when we saw the 50 miles an hour wind and a foot of snow. I woke up this morning at 7:30 and looked out the window and I was surprised there was no flooding. So I was almost regretting the fact that we didn't open today. And then no more than 15 minutes later I heard commotion out my window and look and I saw the raging water as you are seeing on the videos.

COSTELLO: Can you believe it? Because they put in safeguards after hurricane Sandy and still the water came.

PELLEGRINI: You know this breech, we just had beach replenishment all summer long. And, you know, mazing job here with the beaches. And there was no breech with the beach. This surge came from the Back Bay, you know, with the low pressure sitting occupy the coast. It came through the inlet. And the breech really came in from the Back Bay. I'm about a half a mile from the Back Bay. And it came into the low lying areas and it rushed in fast. It was like a tsunami you know. It was like watching those videos you saw in japan. It was overwhelming. And I, you know, rushed to move my car to higher ground. And by the time I got back I was in waist deep water. And I basically found a man at my stairs stranded. I invited him into my restaurant and we spent the morning having breakfast and watching coverage on TV.

COSTELLO: My goodness. So did any water get inside your home?

PELLEGRINI: My business did receive water. I am one of the highest restaurants in town. And we were just a few inches of water on that first high tide. Now tonight it is considerably different. I was forced to evacuate this afternoon but only time will tell tomorrow morning.

[23:05:10] COSTELLO: I'm sorry, I didn't catch that last part of what you said Jason. What did you say?

PELLEGRINI: I said only time is going to tell tomorrow morning when we wake up at the next tide. You know, the first tide was this morning. It was pretty substantial. Tonight at 8:00 was the second tide. And tomorrow morning at 8:00 in the morning will be the third and final high tide. With the full moon I expect our town to be under considerable water.

COSTELLO: How do you even begin to clean up in conditions like this?

PELLEGRINI: Unfortunately, you know, we went through this a few years ago with Sandy. And, you know, it took about five months of work. And we had expensive help with the local community. FEMA was very responsive and was able to allow me the funds and we rebuilt and reopen by that next summer. I'm just, you know, I was kind of more in shock then. I think now I'm just becoming accustomed to it and this is going to be another round to get ready for the summer.

COSTELLO: I'm sorry you have to become accustomed to such -- I just can't imagine.

Jason Pellegrini, thank you for joining me today and good luck to you.

PELLEGRINI: Thank you.

COSTELLO: We wish you well.

All right. So even though there is 25 inches of snow on the ground. Jim Sciutto you are with me. I was going to throw to it Jason Carroll but I'll throw it back to you. OK.

Hi Jim Sciutto.

SCIUTTO: Hello Carol Costello. Good friend.

Just shocking to hear those details down there. They are just memories of hurricane Sandy isn't it to see those surging waters along the coast of New Jersey there. And I think we are just beginning to see the damage from that. And I'm sure they are going to be digging out from it tomorrow morning as well.

We have Jason Carroll. He has been with us covering the storm from the beginning down in lower Manhattan I believe, Jason. What are you seeing down there right now?

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Down here in the west village. But it doesn't matter if you in the west village where we are. We are also near central park, we are also at midtown. It is the same story along every street here in New York City. So many in the streets looking like this buried cars, buried streets.

Fortunately, a number of plows have been out here doing a good job from the New Yorkers that we have been speaking to. Clearing the e streets, getting the salt out on the streets.

Tomorrow the work begins. It is going to be the big dig. Digging out. A lot of shoveling sidewalk, shoveling their cars out. I want to bring in some folks who have been shoveling for hours at this point.

Christian, let me bring you in here and Razar. Father and son you guys. Nice to see you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How you doing.

CARROLL: Well the question is how are you doing? You have been shoveling how many hours now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is third hour for the second turn.

CARROLL: So six hours total so far?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Six hours today.

CARROLL: So how far have you gotten? I see you have gotten this far in the sidewalk on this side. Now, how much more do you guys have to do?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) tell the secret. It is going to be another two buildings, you know. This one here it is about, you know, if you see 60 feet.

CARROLL: Sixty feet. So any predictions in terms of how long you think it is going to take.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What time is it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tomorrow morning.

CARROLL: Until tomorrow morning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes around, 4:00, 5:00 tomorrow morning.

CARROLL: All right. Well, make you are getting some rest, you guys. Doing a good job. I'm sure everyone in the building appreciates. All right, take care.

So Carol, as you can see, some folks are already starting to do the big digging and shoveling but tomorrow morning as folks wake up to all of this out here it is going to be a lot of work tomorrow -- Carol.

COSTELLO: So much work. But you are right. So much work has already gone into clearing the snow because literally behind me the streets look pretty passable and the sidewalks at least here on Columbus circle are pretty darn clear.

Brian Stelter has been driving around New York City all day long and all night long.

Where are you now, Brian?

BRIAN STELTER CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: We are on Washington Street in the west village not too far from Jason Carroll actually. This is actually an area we were actually stuck in a snow drift earlier. It looks like it is a little bit better here but there are stale number of unplowed streets. The sanitation crews have eight more hours, of course, before the travel ban will be lifted.

And the most remarkable thing about this storm, Carol, to me as a weather junkie, is how wide spread, how wig this has been, you know. That is the D.C. versus New York rivalry of course in all things including weather.

Usually if Washington gets clobbered New York gets off easy. Well, in this case, let me show you pictures from my hometown, from family in Damascus, Maryland. My brothers Jason and Kevin were digging out the property today. Twenty eight inches of snow out there in suburban Maryland. That's about an hour outside D.C., hour outside Baltimore.

This compares to the blizzard of '96 in terms of how big the snow drifts there in my family's home. What's amazing is we have also got almost 28 inches here in New York, you know. So this has been so wide spread. We shouldn't forget about New Jersey. We shouldn't forget about Long Island as other areas as well. And let me see if I can hop out for a moment and just show you as we wrap up here what it looks like. We will switch to our dash cam shot. As we are having down Washington street. There is plow a little bit behind us so I'm not going to spend too much time out here.

But as I'm looking around as you are seeing uptown, snow is pretty much over. It is pretty much done here. Looking around here I'm the only one I see. Several blocks down. We don't quite yet know if we have beat than record, but I am going sign off with you Carol by go ahead and make that snow angel I promised earlier.

So I'll send it back to you.

[23:10:40] COSTELLO: No I want to watch the snow angel. Are you kidding? I'm watching the snow angel.

STELTER: I'm not sure if it's working but I will take a picture. I will tweet it for you.

COSTELLO: That was the weakest attempt of making a snow angel I have ever seen. OK.

So I will let you have another chance to make that snow angel and -- this is so ridiculous.

OK. Is it is so ridiculous I'm going to throw to it Jim Sciutto in D.C.

Hi, Jim.

SCIUTTO: Carol, I don't like the pile on but I agree. That was the worst snow angel I have ever seen. He's got to get a second chance or something.

COSTELLO: I know.

SCIUTTO: Keep on him. Please.

COSTELLO: OK, I'm going keep on him. I'm walking down the street now.

SCIUTTO: Well, we here in D.C., as, you know, have had an historic storm, 94 years in the making. We haven't seen snowfall like this. But we are catching the first view of clear sky, we D.C. residents, have seen some 33 hours and that snow has taken a toll. Here across the river in Virginia. And Virginia state police have now been busy with for than 13 hundred crashes. Hundreds of stranded vehicles just over the last 24 or 36 hours. Five Virginia troopers part of the enormous onslaught of emergency services out there responding to this storm. They have suffered minor injuries that job.

Nick Valencia, he has been in Fairfax Virginia through much of the night.

Nick, tell us what's the latest on the rescue effort?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well we have been highlighting the hard work of all of those emergency crews. More than 4,000 pieces of heavy equipment being used to help those who are stranded out there. That includes some of those snowplows that were working hard to make sure that those roads were being treated. We wanted to highlight some incredible efforts not just by those emergency workers but also those that are making sure that the power stays on for you here in the local area.

We are joined now by Karl and D.J. from Dominion, Virginia. You guys are working hard on there. You have got a lot of prepare for this. Where do you guys done to prepare.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, we have had several possible broken pole, things hit by cars in the past storm, Thursday's storm we had. And they were broken and we had to come out and fix them and we spent all night fixing broken poles and we have been out today. And watching over, you know, power outages. And we have been lucky because we have had minimal power outages but he's been able to supply us the material we need and things of that nature.

VALENCIA: And Carl, you are saying that it could be - I mean, more dangerous tomorrow, actually. Why is that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because when the snow starts to melt, I mean, these trees and stuff, the water gets down in the ground and everything starts to fall over. So that means more power lines can go down. So when D.J. and them need stuff that is when they come to the warehouse and I supply them whatever they need.

VALENCIA: And you guys have been through storms before. I mean, you guys have been through, you know, thunderstorms, heavy snow, rain storms, things like that. How does that compare to what you have been though in the kinds of situations you have had to deal with? What do you think?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, the biggest thing is the amount of snow that we have had. And in that aspect, it's -- people aren't used to this. And so, they are driving in it. They are trying to get to places and they are running into things. And they run into our polls. And they were running to a pole, we have issues. But we have been fortunate because we haven't had that issue because they have listened to what you all have had to say about the storm.

VALENCIA: Lots of preparations for precautions, not just taken on your end, emergency workers. Thank you guys for all that you do. We really can't say thank you enough for taking the time with CNN. Appreciate it. God bless you guys.

So much has been done here to prepare in the state of Virginia. They really started taking this seriously in June. They knew a storm of this magnitude had the potential of hitting in this area. And then they start to loading those heavy equipment, folks like D.J. and Carl, also at the ready.

Thirteen hundred accidents. More than 16 hundred disabled vehicles. We saw some of the emergency vehicles even got caught up in it as I was saying and we have had a brief 10-15 minute window where the snow stopped here and now it is starting to pick back up again.

We hope that the forecast is right and by 2:00 this all starts to clear up. That cold is really settling in here, really bone chilling, Jim. I'm sure you are feeling in Washington D.C. there. We are certainly peel feeling it here in Fairfax where the snow here has started back up again unfortunately -- Jim.

SCIUTTO: Yes. Certainly feeling it here and the statistics just so important. The road accidents just speak to the danger. It is why so many cities have instituted these travel bands. But I tell you, even there are accidents. We have seen a number of vehicles caught there on the road. People abandon them and that causes more problems for emergency services. Just a reminder folks to listen to the bans. They make sense.

Nick Valencia, he has been covering throughout the night.

Please stay was. We have a lot more reporting to do, myself here in Washington D.C. Carol Costello live in New York. We'll be right back after this break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:18:47] SCIUTTO: The nations' capitol is snowy white as the White House tonight. Quite and empty here. The only sound we are hearing near Capitol Hill. The sound of those street plows, the snowplows out in the streets trying to clear the streets. It's been 33 straight hours of snow in Washington D.C. But we are just beginning to see clear night skies. Sunshine promised tomorrow. Snow emergency still in effect. Blizzard warning until tomorrow.

CNN meteorologist Jennifer Gray, no one knows better than her. She has been gown in freedom plaza on Pennsylvania Avenue, near the White House throughout the night.

Jennifer, what's the night going to be like?

JENNIFER GRAY, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It is getting better, you know. You are out on the balcony. I'm out here near the capital and the White House. And I just looked up and I can actually see the moon. And so, that as the good sign that we are starting to clear out. Tomorrow we should see sunshine, get temperatures just above freezing. But that sunshine will actually help melt some of this. And so, that will help the plows and crews out there trying to clean the roads up. The only worry will be a refreeze as we go through Sunday night into Monday morning. So it is going to be a very interesting situation when we get to the morning commute Monday morning. What the roads will be like if we do get that refreeze with the slush and wet on the roads as we go through the next 24 hours.

Look behind me, this is 14th street. We have had plows steadily going by. And so the road is actually not as bad as you would imagine. There are people out on the roads. I know the mayor has urged people to stay off the roads. So not the best idea. Especially with a lot of slush on the roads. It is just going to be icy through overnight hours.

And you can see people in the background shoveling sidewalks. We have seen some snow blowers. And so, I think people are trying their hardest just to get back to normal. They have been locked in their houses for the last 36 hours. And so, people I do believe, Jim, are getting a little bit of cabin fever.

But we have had impressive snow totals over the last day and a half. We have had more than 17 inches of snow at Reagan. We have had more than 28 inches of snow at Dulles. That ranks as number two for the snowiest storm. And then Reagan is now ranked number five I believe. And that could go up. We are going to see additional snowfall totals when all of the numbers are upped over the next several hours. Once the snow finally stops we'll be able to get the latest numbers. But this has been just an epic storm across the board up and down the mid- Atlantic and northeast, Jim.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GRAY (voice-over): The massive winter storm clobbering the eastern United States from southern Virginia to New York City.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need you do stay home.

GRAY: One of the hardest hit area, Washington D.C. where the snowplows are out in full force along with the National Guard. The D.C. police chief got her hands dirty as well. As she helped push a stuck cruiser. The City's mayor said 300 911 calls Thursday night were all answered.

MAYOR MURIEL BOWSER, WASHINGTON: This is an emergency event and we are very much still in our emergency response phase.

GRAY: For the most part, the City is ground do a standstill with most spots deserted. The capitol dome, the Washington monument, the White House are nearly invisible in blizzard conditions. Snowfall is expected to continue into the nighttime hours.

Nearby, Dulles airport empty. The airport barely visible. The few remaining planes covered in snow.

Meanwhile in Central Kentucky, some drivers were strand along in 35 miles stretch of interstate 75 for as much as 19 hours from Friday afternoon to Saturday morning. A similar scene along the Pennsylvania turnpike. Cars stuck for five miles. And in North Carolina a fatal truck accident caused a huge back up.

As the storm effects approximately 85 million Americans, it wasn't expected to have such an impact on New Jersey and New York.

On the New Jersey shore tides are on the rise. Flooding coastal towns with ocean water. Forcing more than fifty people to evacuate from their homes. While coastal flooding was always a worry, CNN was live in Margate New Jersey as the ocean waters overwhelmed the sea wall and spilled into the streets.

And in New York City, the bridges and tunnels into the island of Manhattan closed at 2:30 p.m., the result of a travel ban. The normally bustling Times Square looks like a ghost town. The governor is calling for common sense.

GOV. ANDREW CUOMO, NEW YORK: Our own citizens can create the greatest issues. You go out on the road, all it takes is one car to get stuck and now that road is not passable and the plows can't plow that road. And the situation quickly descends into chaos. We have seen this time and time again.

GRAY: And it is far from over. With the storm tracking north overnight.

CUOMO: Between the snowfall and the wind, it is really a treacherous, treacherous situation.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRAY: Jim, it is going to be not only interesting to see the morning commute on Monday but the flight back up. I mean, some of the busiest airports all up and down the northeast. The mid-Atlantic have basically been out of commission the last day, day and a half. A lot of them closed tomorrow. And so, to see that domino effect, people that are trying to travel around the country and have to connect, this is not only going to effect the airports in the mid-Atlantic and northeast. This is going to affect airports all across the country -- Jim.

SCIUTTO: Yes. It is not going to be a pleasant time to fly, no question.

Jennifer Gray, thanks very much.

Well, another side of this massive snow storm doesn't have anything to do with snow at all. Residents along the jersey shoreline coping with major flooding caused by the storm. Also a lunar tide, powerful winds pushing that ocean water into the streets. Memories of hurricane sandy.

Ryan Young, he is in Margate, New Jersey with the latest.

RYAN YOUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Snow continues to fall and gusts of wind getting stronger and stronger by the hour. If you look behind me the real story here is the flooding and what this town is going to have to deal with, with all the water that is invading the area.

We are five blocks away from the water source. And every half hour we see more water coming into this area. In fact just around this corner, police officers had done a good job blocking off this road to stop people from traveling through the area. But you can see the amount of water that is just rising leer. In fact this is about knee deep at this level. We are standing on an area to keep our feet dry. If you look back in this area you can see trash can. And every ten minutes we can see it is almost getting to the top of that trash can.

Water has entered some of these businesses here. We knew this was a potentially threat because of the have high tide, the full moon and the pushing of the storm water coming in this direction. It was something everyone's worried about. What they are hoping is in the next few hours, maybe this water will stop but we know high tide and the water that are coming from that area could still continue for if next hour or so.

We were told during super storm Sandy it was waist deep in this area. So they have dealt with it before and now they are getting their face once again.

SCIUTTO: Ryan Young on the New Jersey shore line there. We hope those waters recede soon. They have to seem so much along the coast. We continue to follow this major winter storm up and down the coast. Myself here in Washington.

My colleague Carol Costello in New York. Stay with us. We'll be right back after this break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:29:48] COSTELLO: All right, the snow has really tapered off here in New York City. We haven't talked very much about the city of Philadelphia. They got pounded too. Officially 20 inches of snow fell in Philadelphia, 30 inches outside of the City. So they are still suffering.

So let's head to the weather center and check in with Karen Maginnis. Is the worst other for Philadelphia as far as snowfall is concerned?

[23:30:11] KAREN MAGINNIS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It ranges up in the top five. We don't have the final totals Carol from this two day event which forecasters predicted very accurately. Maybe a little iffy on the prediction for New York City. But nonetheless, a significant snow storm. Some areas this will be epic, historic, or second third or fourth in line for the snowiest.

All right. You know what? If you are watching us from a hotel room, you are sitting in someplace where you are comfortable, it is warm, consider yourself lucky because this is miserable. But you know what you are at the tail end of this. You can see a lot of this really is breaking up rather nicely. That is not to say it is all said and done. Philadelphia maybe another little line moving through. Washington, Baltimore. Most of this is very light.

I just checked some of the wind gusts and we had some 30, 40 miles per hour gusts and higher. Now they are 20, 30. And it is only going to improve from here. So that is some pretty good news. There is New York. We have go a little further to Boston earlier in the evening. We had hurricane force winds right around the cape in Massachusetts.

All right, for New York, you got all of that snowfall. And then tomorrow, you get a little sun. Warms things up. It melts a little bit and then the temperature drops down into the 20s. So you know what that means. It is going to ice over. So you will have that black ice. Be careful. It is going to be like this for a while.

Your temperature bumps up a few degrees going in towards the middle of the workweek. Dulles, well, here you go, 28 plus inches of snowfall. LaGuardia, just under 25 inches. Really amazing snowfall totals with this amazing system. That even from space there was a shot of it and it just encompasses the 85 million people that were in the line of fire with this. And that northeastern corridor with about 30 million people. Power outages. Hundreds of thousands of people didn't get on airplanes.

But I want to show you what happened on the coast. We talk about the snow, the wind the blizzard conditions but take a look at Sea Isle City. This is on the coast of New Jersey. It is just to the south of Atlantic City. Someone sent us this video and it shows just the force of the water that is moved in. And a lot of these areas under water. It happens routinely. They built some barriers but just couldn't hold all of that water back. It is amazing.

We also have video from Margate. I don't think we'll be able to show you that to you but we have seen pictures of those, Carol, all day long. And that is just a different aspect to the storm that we haven't seen probably the end of yet either.

[23:32:54] COSTELLO: No, I don't think so. All those little beach towns along the jersey shore they are down right across from Pennsylvania. That is where people from Philadelphia have summer homes. So they are probably pretty much in agony right now.

Karen Maginnis. Thanks so much.

As I said Philadelphia did get hit, 20 inches of snow. We don't know officially what that will be until after midnight. That's the next time the national weather service will give us their official readings at various cities' airports.

But I want to take you live now Philadelphia to check with Sara Ganim. Because life on the Pennsylvania turnpike was not pretty. In fact some people were stuck on the turnpike in their cars, trapped there, for more than 20 hours. Sara Ganim tell us more.

SARA GANIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Some people are still trapped in their cars on the Pennsylvania turn pike. I just got off the phone with Pennsylvania state police a while ago. They are still working to get people to shelter. Here is what happened.

A five-mile stretch of people stuck on the Pennsylvania turnpike near Breeze Wood Pennsylvania. That is an interchange geographically between Washington D.C. and Pittsburgh to give you an idea of where it is.

Basically tractor trailers could no longer pass on the road. There was too much snow and it caused this huge back up. No injuries, no actual crashes so that is good news. But people were trapped in their cars for almost the entire day, Carol. That is absolutely no fun. The National Guard was called in to try and help rescue people and get them to shelter. There was a couple of busloads of parishioners from a church in Omaha and Nebraska who were coming back from a rally in Washington D.C. They got stuck and actually got out of the bus as you can see here in the studio and held mass on the side of the road. And many of those stranded passengers attended, of course probably a good way to pass the time as you are waiting in your car unable to move.

You know the snow continued to fall while they were stranded there. Which prevented plows from coming down and plowing the road as they normally would. So it just causes more and more of a problem. And as we speak people are still being rescued and taken to hotels where they can get warm while the police and other Pennsylvania officials, the department of transportation working to clean that up now.

Here in Philadelphia where we are. Better news. There were no major incident, no major power outages. You can see that the streets are finally beginning to clear up a little bit here, Carol.

I just want to show you really quickly, what the snow was like here as it fell in the last couple of hours. It was heavy, it was wet. It is the kind that is really hard to clean up. And so, officials are asking people to stay inside until they can get through the night, continue to clean up to stay safe, Carol.

[23:35:44] COSTELLO: I'm glad that car missed you. That guy was crazy driving by. Please don't do that. That is just not smart.

GAMIN: People are starting to have a little bit of fun.

COSTELLO: We don't want that kind of fun though.

Sara Ganim thanks so much.

And as you can see the work goes on behind me. There are a lot of people out shoveling the sidewalks. You would be amazed. I think a see a dozen and their little tiny snowplows plowing the sidewalks. So things are looking up here in New York City.

Tomorrow morning more people are going to be out shoveling their walk. So be very careful on you doing that because it can be very taxing and it can sometimes be deadly. So take your time.

Where am I going now? I'm going to a break. We will be back with much more after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:39:55] SCIUTTO: Welcome back. I'm Jim Sciutto live in Washington D.C., the nation's capitol buried in snow, up to two feet. Some places three feet. Baltimore about an hour's drive away, is buried up to two to three feet in some areas as well. A travel ban in place there like a lot of cities along the east coast until tomorrow morning. Only emergency vehicles and snowplows allowed on the road.

Miguel Marquez, he has been right in the middle of it braving those freezing temperatures the snow and the high wind.

Miguel, what's it feel like? What does it look like there now? I noted the goggles are off.

[23:40:30] MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The goggles are off. It is officially over. Everyone can just relax. I will not be giving these to the mayor though. I'll be keeping these goggles for the next snow storm.

Baltimore may have broken a record. The national weather service reporting that at BWI, the initial reports are 29.2 inches of snow. That would shatter the old report here if that is the place that they actually measure it.

This is what they are going to be dealing with now is the cleanup. Massive amounts of snow in Baltimore and throughout Maryland. Outside of Baltimore, there are places that got 36 inches of snow. Three feet there, some predictions, as much as four feet of snow and other parts of far western Maryland. So it is just incredible how much snow they have seen here in Maryland and in the Baltimore area.

All public transportation is still canceled until Monday morning. That is subject to review. It sounds like now is that the snow is done and they are getting a handle on cleaning up the roadways here that they will probably come back online Monday morning. And then cars off the streets. They will reassess that. But 6:00 a.m. tomorrow morning is what he will can probably get back on the street - Jim.

SCIUTTO: Miguel Marquez, probably feels like Michigan there in Maryland based on the kind of snowfall we have been seeing. I know where you are coming from.

MARQUEZ: It does indeed.

SCIUTTO: We have been feeling here in D.C. My colleague Carol Costello feeling it in New York. Seventy-five millions, tens of millions of people experienced in this snowstorm. We have been covering it up and down the coast. There is more to come right after this break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:45:35] COSTELLO: I'm Carol Costello live in New York City.

Take a look at that picture. That is Columbus circle. Yes there may be 25 inches of snow here but somebody loves Lauren tonight. We don't know who is wonderful art artistry that is, but maybe I can say to all the Laurens out there, you are lucky, lucky ladies.

All right, as I said 25 inches of snow in central park. With that as of 7:00 eastern time. The new readings, the official readings won't come out until after midnight. So, if you are dying to know if New York City broke the ultimate record of the biggest snowfall in its history you are going to have to wait a little longer.

All things are very calm here in New York City because of course the snow has virtually stopped. Things are not going so well along the shore in New Jersey. In fact along coastal New Jersey there are many towns flooded right now. We just got these new pictures from Point Pleasant beach, New Jersey. You can see the water coming over a parking lot there.

Point Pleasant is not alone in its misery. There is also flooding in Margate, in Sea Isle and north Wildwood. In fact the whole town of north Wildwood, New Jersey has been evacuated. There had to be rescues there. There is feet of water in people's homes. It is just an absolute mess here. I talked with Governor Andrew Cuomo earlier about possibly fluid flooding Long Island. And we touched on New Jersey as well. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: The travel ban seems to have worked great and earlier today there were cars on the road and I understand you helped out more than a few motorists. Pushed their cars from the snowy roadways. Tell us about is that.

GOV. ANDREW CUOMO, NEW YORK (on the phone): Carol, New Yorkers really demand to get their money's worth from almost any service and also from elected officials. So I am the full service governor. I tow cars. I push cars. I shovel snow up to a doctor recommended limits. As So, I was saying to Jim, there are cars all over the roadways this morning which is one of the reasons we have imposed the travel ban. But there was one car we came across that was really in a dangerous position. It was on an exit ramp where many cars are trying to get off and it was blocking the exit ramp and there was just mayhem. It is amazing what can happen so quickly. So we actually got out to help that person move the car and get out of the snow bank. And we were successful because it was just a matter of time before that cascaded into a number of accidents.

But I have in retrospect thank you. I think it did work, the travel ban. I know people were inconvenienced and New Yorkers don't like to be inconvenienced. But it allowed us to clear the roads. People were safe. It was a Saturday. So not a lot of people were going to work or going to school. And hopefully now we get the ban lifted at 7:00 a.m. tomorrow and we get -- we start to get back to normal and hopefully by Monday things are running on time.

COSTELLO: Man, that sounds really good to me.

Of course the people in Long Island, especially the people who live on the south shore, they are worried about flooding. What can you tell us about that governor, governor?

CUOMO: Well, we are people are watching on TV, I know I am, the flooding in southern New Jersey. And New Yorkers who lived through super storm Sandy, that sends a chill down our spine. Because we had the same experience on southern long island, parts of New York City. Staten Island, Brooklyn, et cetera. So watching New Jersey has caused great trepidation here in New York. I have been speaking with the county executives in Nassau and Suffolk. They expect mild to moderate flooding. But nothing severe at this time.

The high tide is just hitting Long Island. And we are poised. We have the National Guard on site. We have got the right equipment on site. We are keeping our fingers crossed. We don't now expect a serious flooding situation. And again that can change. And fingers crossed but so far, so good. We have offered help to New Jersey and I have offered help to Governor Christie. Because they do have a real problem once again in southern New Jersey. And you know when you see this, these are the same places and same people who went through super storm sandy. And it seems like just yesterday. So they are reliving a nightmare. And my heart goes out to them and anything we can do to help we will.

[23:50:36] COSTELLO: So governor you have reached out. You have talked to Governor Christie?

CUOMO: Yes. I have spoken to him several times today.

COSTELLO: OK. So the cooperation between --

CUOMO: You know, in situations like this in cooperation of New Jersey, New York City, Nassau County, Suffolk County, the lines don't mean anything. It is one region that has a significant weather situation to deal with. And we all work together. And when government works, it is actually a nice thing to be part of. And to the extent we could, it worked today. And as I said anywhere we can be helpful to New Jersey with what they are dealing with the flooding situation is going to be our pleasure.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: With that said a travel ban does remain in place for all of New York State. The travel ban will be lifted 7:00 tomorrow morning. And there is still ice falling on our little covering here. If you are out walking about, again, be very careful because ice is falling from buildings.

We are going to take a break. We will be back with much more after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [23:55:15] SCIUTTO: There it is. The White House and the nation's capital. A couple of hundred years of history there. Now question see it through the storm that is just about ended. It is about 94 years of history. The biggest snow storm in Washington in 94 years clearing here in Washington D.C.

Well, everyone rock stars have to deal with the snow. Earlier tonight, CNN's Poppy Harlow spoke of Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and his daughter. And he gave some blizzard advice. What was that? Bunker down and take it easy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

POPPY HARLOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Let's just be clear. You are a New Yorker. You live downtown from here just like I do. You took the subway.

MIA TYLER, STEVEN TYLER'S DAUGHTER: Yes, I thought I would be safe and take the subway.

HARLOW: The prudent thing to do. They are saying stay off all these roads.

M. TYLER: Yes. I'm a little bit of a bad ass. I like taking the train.

HARLOW: Trains way faster, by the way.

M. TYLER: Yes.

HARLOW: Boston-based Aerosmith, you are used to this weather. What do you have to say to folks? I know you are stuck here for a little while. You are not flying out anytime soon.

STEVEN TYLER, LEAD SINGER, AEROSMITH: I'm not fry flying out any time soon. I'm from New York City and I'm down here to see my daughters and grandson, Milo. How are you doing, Milo? Decided to go downtown, but then decided not to. The weather is terrible.

HARLOW: Where are you guys going next? The weather is terrible. You are here promoting your latest single on Colbert last night. Where are going next? I mean, you are going to obviously hunker down for in this thing?

S. TYLER: I'm going hunker down. I got a funny feeling the storm is going to keep us here couple extra days. But Monday I'm doing Howard Stern.

HARLOW: No matter how much snow we get.

S. TYLER: No matter how much.

HARLOW: You know, it is interesting. I'm from Minnesota, so this is sort of par from the course in Minnesota. But as a New Yorker, I mean, when is the last time we saw it like this? M. TYLER: It's been a while. The global warming thing is really

messing us. But I love it. I like playing until the snow, so I'm kind of happy about this.

HARLOW: And having a little time with your dad.

M. TYLER: I know. We grew up playing in the snow and doing snow angels, because he's a big kid. So the minute I got - the minute I got up here, I was like let's go play.

HARLOW: OK, my executive producer in my ear are dying to hear what your favorite album is to bring in the storm?

M. TYLER: I listen to metal, so you guys probably don't want to hear that. But I would like to say I would like to listen to my dad's new album.

HARLOW: A little bit of promotion there.

S. TYLER: Yes.

HARLOW: On a more serious note, though, we are going to have governor of New York Andrew Cuomo on in the next hour. And obviously, you're both well-known. Have a lot of influence. People listen when you talk. What do you have to say to people that are thinking this isn't so bad. I'm going to go out and drive. I'm going to do this and that. What do you say to them?

S. TYLER: I say do not do it. It's supposed to go until 12:00, 1:00 in the morning, so it will be another foot of snow. Stay home. Two words. Hot chocolate.

M. TYLER: And family hugs.

HARLOW: And family hugs. Look at this.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Carol, that is the best advice I have heard tonight. And it comes from Steven Tyler. Hot chocolate.

COSTELLO: Hot chocolate for Steven, I would thought he would have said something stronger.

SCIUTTO: Yes. That is possible. But that is a great New York moment, isn't it? You are out there. You are covering a big snow storm and up walks Steven Tyler. It just happens. It is just the way it is.

COSTELLO: It never happens to me. It always happens to Poppy. She is blessed that way. Seriously though I have had a lot -- actually I have had a great time out here. I hate saying that because it is such a serious. But I'm glad I got to be out here tonight. But I'm glad I got to be co-anchoring with you, Jim Sciutto.

SCIUTTO: I always love to work with you. And I say, listen. This is a serious snow storm. The effects are going to be felt for days. We know it. Sadly there were casualties in this storm but also a tremendous turn out of emergency resources, the National Guard. From my perch here, they did a pretty good job.

COSTELLO: Same here. I cannot tell you how surprised I am at this state of the city streets because early this morning it was just absolutely awful. In fact, I took a walk down to central park and it was -- it was difficult because the wind gusts were, you know, up to 35 miles per hour. It was terrible. But now it seems much, much calmer. The City seems like it is already getting back to normal. It is just a fantastic effort. The people I feel most sorry for are the people who live along the jersey shore who are undergoing terrible flooding right now.

SCIUTTO: No question. It is reminiscent of hurricane sandy. It seems so disconnected. It is the snow storm, right? And yet you have this storm surge and that lunar tide. Let's hope that those waters recede quickly.

We are going can continue to watch the storm here of course here on CNN. Lot of news to cover tomorrow. Been great working with my colleague Carol Costello and all of our other colleagues up and down the coast. Baltimore, Philadelphia, you name it.

But coming up next you want to stay with this. A marijuana-thon. Dr. Sanjay Gupta's weed specials one through three, all in a row. That is just ahead.

Please have a great night, a safe night. Carol and I wish you the best this weekend.