Schools in the Washington area were shut and thousands of homes were without power after a massive snowfall barreled across the area Friday and Saturday, leaving some areas entombed in as much as three feet (one meter) of snow.

Forecasters said residents now face another wintry onslaught, with another 10 to 20 inches (25 to 50 centimeters) of snow forecast to fall on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Unlike the last blizzard, Tuesday's storm was expected to travel clear up the east coast, reaching as far north as New England.

Forecasters said the storm would reach New York at around midnight (0500 GMT Wednesday), bringing as much as a foot (0.3 meters) of fresh powder.

Harried commuters in the mid-Atlantic states struggled to dig out buried cars and trundle to work on icy roads, while metro users in the capital suffered long waits despite the relaunch of suspended overground services.

Most of the 230,000 federal employees were off work, although isolated government offices including the White House, parts of Congress and some agencies, were operational.

The National Weather Service predicted that in Washington, the latest bout of snow would begin falling at around 2 pm (1900 GMT) and continue through late Wednesday.

Airports in the area, which closed down during the worst of the weekend blizzard, faced the prospect of more delays and cancellations.

"Passengers should confirm with their airlines that their flight is operating before departing for the airport," Mark Treadaway, a public affairs officer at Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority told AFP.

He said crews were preparing to treat the airport with chemicals and snow removal equipment to keep operations going.

"We're going to stay focused with a very close eye on the forecast," he said.

Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland all declared emergencies, allowing them to mobilize the National Guard to help cope with the unprecedented snow.

School officials in at least one suburb, Virginia's Loudoun County, decided to remain closed for the rest of the week -- reopening only after next Monday's President's Day holiday on February 15.

"It should be better tomorrow, but it is a huge challenge to get the interstates cleared before the next storm on Tuesday," said Joan Morris, a spokeswoman for Virginia's transport department.

Even without the new snowfall, energy companies said it could take days to restore power to homes plunged into the dark when falling trees and branches snapped lines.

Many of those without power gathered in restaurants and coffee shops on major avenues where power was often restored first. Some residents of suburban Washington spent two days huddled at businesses, unable to go home.

The deepest snow left by what the media has dubbed "Snowmageddon" was in the small town of Colesville, central Maryland, which was buried in 40 inches (101 centimeters) of powder, the National Weather Service said.

The new snowfall was set to arrive just as life was beginning to return to normal, as metro trains resumed a more normal service and residents in the hardest-hit areas finally cleared their blocked driveways.

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