Battling the blizzard in elm city

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- The 2013 blizzard flexed it's biceps over New Haven dumping nearly 3 feet on the elm city.

"Never seen it this bad. I think this is the worst."

It's so severe rescue workers needed rescuing. One plow truck driver sat for nearly 8 hours next to a tow truck which needed towing.

"This is terrible," said Butch, tow truck operator. "They sent the National Guard out here, look."

The National Guard came out to help stranded drivers if they braved the night. Dozens abandoned cars. The only people moving are those walking.

"I owe my colleagues a big lunch," said Nicholas Arger, VA doctor.

That's because they're covering his shift at the hospital while he tries to get there.

"They made accommodations and some of us were a little cavalier in the snow to try and make it home and back," said Arger. "So, we learned our lesson."

With the sun finally up folks are trying to dig out their cars, they're using snow blowers, shovels, anything they can to find a piece of their car. It's difficult to see where the snow bank ends and where the car begins.

"I could tell by the bike rack on the back it was mine, but that's the only thing sticking out of the snow," said Chris Kirby, of Hamden.

Many saw this historic snowfall a headache, but one couple saw it as an opportunity.

"We got these snowshoes for Christmas, but we haven't used them yet so we figured it was a good way to see the city this way," said Jean Vossler, of New Haven.

"A couple times we thought we were walking over parked benches and cars," said Ben Vossler. "I couldn't be sure just because they were so buried."

They might be buried for a while.

Looking at the streets and the cold forecast, a melt is not coming quickly.