Winter Storm Niko caused plenty of travel problems in Philadelphia Thursday.Schools were canceled across the city, and a snow emergency was declared.At the airport, 2 inches of snow was reported at the end of the snowstorm.
Dozens of flights were canceled and a snow emergency was in place Thursday as Winter Storm Niko dumped snow on Philadelphia, but as morning turned to afternoon, conditions improved and the emergency was lifted.
"All the side streets ," resident Harry Baeringer told CBS Philadelphia Thursday afternoon. "Take your time and walk. Make snowballs. Have fun."
Officials announced that the snow emergency, which went into effect early Thursday, , according to WPVI-TV. The announcement said all parked cars must be moved off snow emergency routes for plowing. City and government offices remained open during business hours Thursday, , according to the Philadelphia Enquirer.
Most schools around the city, according to NBC Philadelphia. Schools will be open on Friday, WPVI also reported.
More than 8,000 PECO customers Thursday afternoon.
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By mid-morning, nearly 200 flights into and out of Philadelphia International Airport were canceled, according to . Thursday afternoon, 0.8 inches of snow was reported at the airport, but a recount by the National Weather Service upped that total to2 inches.
"If you’re planning to fly today, please check with your carrier ," airport spokeswoman Diane Gerace told CBS Philadelphia.
Travel on the ground was also treacherous; along much of the main toll road and the Northeastern Extension, speed limits were temporarily lowered to 45 mph on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, according to the Associated Press. SEPTA said a few bus and train routes were suspended or adjusted during the storm, the Enquirer also reported.
The archdiocese of Philadelphia announced that all archdiocese and parochial schools were closed Thursday.
The Philadelphia Zoo was also closed Thursday, according to CBS Philadelphia.