Michigan congressman jokingly mocks Washington D.C. for snow shutdown

WASHINGTON – The federal government is taking it easy today as another snow storm moves into the Northeast this week.

The fourth nor’easter in three weeks moved through the winter weary Northeast on Wednesday, the first full day of spring, packing high winds and the potential of dumping a foot or more of snow from West Virginia to New England.

While some may not be prepared for such weather, Michigan congressman Dan Kildee (MI-5) is having some fun with it.

Rep. Kildee posted a video to Twitter jokingly mocking the fact that the federal government is closed for snow. 

"Really, the government is shutdown today because of snow?" Kildee said in the video. "These people are obviously not from Michigan."

 The National Weather Service said the storm was expected to kick into gear in the mid-Atlantic by late Wednesday morning, then head north to New York and New England. But forecasters noted that the storm had sharp gradients that could cause several inches to fall in some spots, while nearby areas could see much less accumulation.

“It’s definitely a tricky forecast,” said Dan Petersen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center in Maryland. “We’re still expecting heavy snows throughout the region, but there could be lower numbers in some coastal areas where warmer temperatures are causing rain or more of a wintry mix.”

Winter-whipped residents said they were ready for the latest storm, though many hoped it would be the last and give way to spring.

“I didn’t think I’d still need to keep storm stuff in my car in late March, but what are you going to do?” Wilson Collins said as he prepared to leave his Toms River, New Jersey, home on Wednesday morning, checking his trunk to make sure he had a shovel, a blanket and other emergency items. “I’m hoping most of the snow will accumulate just on the grass, but the roads will be a mess no matter what. I just hope this is finally it.”

Residents were being urged to stay home and off the roads, if possible, on Wednesday, so crews could work to keep streets clear.