A snow day after all as schools close Updated 5:43 p.m. Several school systems in the Baltimore area will be closed Monday as the region continues to dig out from this weekend's snow storm.

Public school systems in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Harford and Cecil counties have announced cancellations, as have the systems in Kent, Montgomery and Prince George's counties.

As of 5 p.m., Baltimore City schools officials had yet to decide whether to open Monday, and no public announcements had been made by school systems in Carroll or Howard counties.

While Harford schools will be closed for students and teachers, school offices and the central office will open on time, according to the system's website. All evening activities are canceled.
By Scott Calvert

The shoppers are back Updated 3:37 p.m.: Malls across the area opened up on time today after shutting down early on Saturday, what should have been one of the biggest shopping days of the season.

Consumers seemed ready to make up for the lost shopping day, packing parking lots across the region.

"My sense is that it is very busy," said Wendy Ellis, director of marketing and business development at Arundel Mills. "The parking lot is definitely full, but there is so much snow piled up that the parking is a bit creative."

She said she expects the days before Christmas to be busier than normal as because of Saturday's blizzard.

The crowds were also big at Towson Town Center. The mall opened at regular hours and will close at 7 p.m.

"Today is usually busy," said senior marketing manager Jessica Bloom. "Then when you add in the traffic there would have been yesterday is making for an even busier day."

By Andrea Walker

City reminds residents to shovel Updated 2:42 p.m.:The city is now making robocalls reminding homeowners in neighborhoods were snow appears to be piling up to clear their sidewalk, a spokesman for Mayor Sheila Dixon said.

The city has used 4,446 tons of salt and spent $765,000 on the storm, spokesman for Scott Peterson said. The declaration of a state of emergency by Gov. Martin O'Malley allows the city to seek reimbursement for the expenditure.

Peterson said the city has seen an increase in 911 calls, but there had been no major fires or accidents as of 2 p.m. Sunday. Medic units were increased to 33 from the usual 23.
By Matthew Hay Brown

Warmer climates have to wait Updated 12:52 p.m.: Cruise ship passengers eager to escape the snowy northeast for the warm, sunny Caribbean will have to wait a few hours longer than planned.

The departure of the Carnival Pride has been delayed until 8 p.m. today, to give passengers time to get to the port of Baltimore, officials said today. The seven-day cruise will travel to Port Canaveral, Fla. and the Bahamas.
By Sam Sessa

BWI now open, but officials urge patience Updated 12:21 p.m.: BWI Thurgood Marshall International Airport is now open and fully operational, but officials are urging travelers to call their airlines before heading to the airport.

"They're basically regrouping after a total shutdown yesterday," said Paul Wiedefeld, head of the Maryland Aviation Administration. "Roughly about 50 percent of their flights are operational today. So they will be overbooked, they have to get their crews in from across the country, particularly the Northeast, and with the storm still playing out above us, there are still impacts on that."

Work crews cleared one of the airport's two main commercial runways at 9:40 p.m. Saturday, allowing the airport to reopen, and the other at 3:30 a.m. Sunday.

The reopening allowed the Chicago Bears to land at 10:45 p.m. Saturday. The team is scheduled to play the Ravens at M&T; Bank Stadium at 4:15 p.m. Sunday.

"I'll be frank," BWI Director Paul Wiedefeld said. "If it had been the Pittsburgh Steelers, they'd still be going around and around up in the air, hoping to land. I'm not sure my workers would have worked quite as hard for Pittsburgh to land."
By Matthew Hay Brown

Emergency rooms are quiet for now Updated 12:05 p.m.: Emergency rooms at city hospitals have been largely slow, with few snow-related injuries, officials said Sunday morning.

But hospitals could see an uptick in admissions later today, when more people begin to dig out, said Allison Eatough, spokeswoman for Baltimore Washington Medical Center.

"Last night, they were slower than usual," Eatough said. "They're just bracing for it today, when people get out and start shoveling."
By Sam Sessa

Advice for Ravens' fans Updated 11:50 a.m.: With works crews still clearing the roads, officials are urging football fans to use public transportation to get to the Ravens game Sunday at M&T; Bank Stadium. They announced overflow parking for travelers coming from north and south of the city.

"The light rail may have some issue with capacity at the parking lots that you normally use, so for the North End, people north of the city, they should use Warren Road as an overflow lot," MTA administrator Ralign T. Wells said Sunday. "For the South End, they should use BWI Business District as an overflow parking lot as well. But the services are operational and we are encouraging people to use our light rail and Metro system for the game."

The game between the Ravens and the Chicago Bears was pushed back to 4:15 p.m. in anticipation of the storm.
By Matthew Hay Brown

A good Samaritan Updated 11 a.m.: Chuck Kiessling was sitting in his Glen Burnie home watching TV Saturday afternoon when he heard the Baltimore Washington Medical Center needed volunteers to help bring staff to and from the hospital.

Kiessling, a design consultant, hopped in his red 1999 Ford truck and headed for the hospital.

"The hospitals have always been here when I needed them, so when they put out the word they needed some help, I was available and had the means," he said. "I like to think if anybody needs the hospital for anything, their staff is here to support them."

Though he didn't get stuck, Kiessling said the snow was coming down faster than the plows could keep up with it. On Saturday, some of the side roads were blocked, and the main roads were snow covered but drivable.

Kiessling called it a night at 1:30 a.m. Sunday morning, and was back at the hospital helping again at 6 a.m. Sunday. The trips have taken him as far as Annapolis and Ellicott City, he said, and he plans on volunteering as long as he is needed today.

"This is my first time, and it won't be my last," he said. "As long as I'm able, I'll keep doing it. ... It's nice to know you're able to help somebody."
By Sam Sessa

The show must go on Updated 10:45 a.m.: The record snowfall won't stop many performances in the city from going on as scheduled. The Holiday Spectacular with BSO, Dreamgirls at the Hippodrome and performances of The Santaland Diaries and Around the World in 80 Days at CenterStage will all be staged today.
BSO said it understood some ticketholders would not be able to make it to the Meyerhoff today and was offering liberal exchanges for remaining shows on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Walters Art Museum will be open today, though without walk-in tours, but the Baltimore Museum of Art will remain closed until Monday.
By Tim Swift

Few outages reported Updated 10:35 a.m.: Despite the large amounts of snowfall, Baltimore Gas and Electric is reporting less than 250 homes in area are currently without power. The storm knocked out service to more than 9,000 customers yesterday, mostly in Baltimore City and Baltimore and Prince George's counties, but crews quickly made repairs.
By Tim Swift

Volunteers needed Updated 9:50 a.m.: Baltimore Washington Medical Center in Glen Burnie is calling Sunday for volunteers with four-wheel-drive vehicles to help carry physicians, nurses and nursing support staff to and from work. Interested persons are asked to call the hospital at 410-787-4800.
By Matthew Hay Brown

Record-breaking snow Updated 9:30 a.m.: The snow that you'll be tackling with shovels and back muscles on Sunday broke nearly all official December records, not just for Baltimore, but also for Washington's Reagan National Airport, and for Dulles International Airport in Northern Virginia.
By Frank Roylance

Bears ready for the game Updated 9:10 a.m.: After two days of travel difficulties for the Chicago Bears, the Ravens are still scheduled to kick off against the late-arriving NFC North team at 4:15 p.m. today at M&T; Bank Stadium, an NFL official said. A record snowstorm for this area and airplane troubles forced the Bears to rearrange their schedule Friday and Saturday. Their flight arrived at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport at about 10:50 p.m. last night, only 17 hours before kickoff in what is a critical game for the Ravens' playoff hopes.
By Jamison Hensley