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.

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

Winter Storm Gia brought the first snow of the year to Washington

People took to Capitol Hill to sled down the slope

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

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

Snowball fights ensued on the National Mall

This group were seen walking in Rock Creek Park dressed in American Revolution outfits

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

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

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

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

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