A treacherous mix of falling snow, sleet and freezing rain turned Tuesday morning commutes to misery for many returning from a long holiday weekend in the Northeast, one day after suspected twisters tore through parts of the South.<br />In the West, California and Arizona braced for another day of record warm temperatures after basking in the high 80s and low 90s on Monday.<br />In Washington, the federal government was opening three hours late after freezing rain coated the nation's capital and surrounding areas in hazardous ice.<br />Freezing rain fell throughout the Washington area overnight after the major storm system had already dropped several inches of snow Monday, leaving roads and sidewalks slick.<br />A mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain made driving dicey in upstate New York, with winter storm warnings and other advisories posted.<br />On Monday, suspected tornados tied to the vast storm system turned several homes to rubble in the northwest corner of Florida's Panhandle and in Mississippi.
