NEW YORK, March 6 (AFP) - Millions of people were digging out from under a thickening blanket of snow Tuesday, as a major storm hit the northeastern United States from Pennsylvania to Maine, though only sideswiping New York City and Boston. Forecasters scaled back earlier snowfall predictions, saying the heaviest fall -- 30 to 90 centimeters (one-three feet) -- was expected across the interior of Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.

The National Weather Service (NWS) also cancelled coastal flood warnings along the northeast as a strong low pressure system southeast of Long Island, New York, put an end to that threat.

Snow in New York City was 7-15 centimeters (3-6 inches) and in Boston was 20-40 centimeters (8-16 inches), less than originally expected.

Big storm fizzles out here, said a front-page banner in The New York Post Tuesday; Imperfect Storm is Less of a Blow Than Was Feared... blared The New York Times.

On Monday, however, the city was in the grip of near panic, with schools closing due to snow for the first time in five years, and for only the third time since 1978. Even before the snow started falling, airlines cancelled flights throughout the region.

National weather service forecasts had posted blizzard warnings for New York State and predicted total snowstorm accumulations of 45 to 60 centimeters (18 to 24 inches) by late Tuesday. This is a dangerous storm. Travel will be difficult or impossible across the warned areas >/i> (of central New York and northeast Pennsylvania), the service cautioned.

The snowfall by Tuesday morning was significant in some inland areas. The NWS was forecasting up to 75 centimeters (30 inches) across central New York, 50 centimeters in northeastern Pennsylvania and 90 centimeters in southern Vermont.