Snow covers Washington as US shutdown continues

As a partial government shutdown continues in the US, the longest in its history, residents of the Washington area woke on Sunday to find that heavy snow had fallen overnight.

Image copyrightReuters

Still more snow is expected to fall, but here are pictures showing the scenes in Washington on Sunday:

Image copyrightEPAImage caption Winter Storm Gia brought the first snow of the year to Washington

Image copyrightAFPImage caption People took to Capitol Hill to sled down the slope

Image copyrightEPAImage caption Snow blanketed a statue of Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States, in Lafayette Square

Image copyrightAFPImage caption US Park Service workers had to clear snow from the White House driveway

Image copyrightAFPImage caption Snowball fights ensued on the National Mall

Image copyrightAFPImage caption Three women were seen walking in Rock Creek Park dressed in American Revolution outfits

Image copyrightAFPImage caption A man used a kite to snowboard on the National Mall next to the Washington Monument

Image copyrightAFPImage caption A homeless man was seen resting above a warm air vent near the White House.

Image copyrightEPAImage caption Photographer Ting Shen caught this shot of a hawk diving to catch prey in the snow on the National Mall

Image copyrightEPAImage caption Vinny the dog was wrapped up warm with its owner in Fairfax Station, Virginia

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