BOSTON — Residents of New England woke today to more than a foot of snow in some areas and hazardous roads following a major winter storm that caused power outages, canceled flights and gave thousands of school children a day off.

The National Weather Service reported as much as 20 inches of snow fell from the fast-moving storm Monday, which snarled the morning commute but had mostly cleared out by late afternoon.

Another round of scattered snow showers were anticipated across New England today, with additional accumulations of up to 6 inches possible. Cold temperatures filled in behind the front sweeping through the region.

As the main storm approached Monday, hundreds of public and private schools canceled classes in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island and eastern New York.

Tisha Whitmore, a daycare worker, said her employer told staff to take a day off. She was happy the snow allowed her to spend a weekday with her 7-year-old daughter in downtown Boston.

“It’s a Massachusetts winter storm, schools get canceled,” she said as she walked out of a shoe store with her daughter, Amani. “It’s not stopping my plans. No.”

All New Hampshire Legislature events and some Maine Legislative hearings were canceled. Boston’s Mayor Thomas Menino ordered only essential city employees to report to work.

More than 100 flights were canceled at Boston’s Logan International. In Maine, the Portland International Jetport reported numerous flight cancelations. It was socked with 10.5 inches of snow — surpassing the old record for the date of 9 inches in 1982.

As much as 14 inches fell in Massachusetts’ northern Worcester County near the New Hampshire line, and about half as much fell in the Boston area, the National Weather Service reported.

Utility companies reported up to 45,000 customers lost power across Massachusetts. Power outages peaked at 36,000 customers in Connecticut.

Maine had 20 inches in Gardiner, 16 inches in Denmark and Acton, 14 inches in Auburn and Bridgton, and a foot in Sanford, said Tom Berman of the weather service.

New Hampshire had 13 inches in Wolfeboro, 11.6 inches in Laconia, 11 inches in Concord and 10 inches in Hampton and Rochester.

Major highways were slick early in the day, leading to accidents and spinouts. But with hundreds of schools and many businesses closed, traffic was lighter than usual.

“A lot of people didn’t come out and stayed at home and most of the schools were closed, so that, certainly, took a lot of pressure off the traffic situation,” said State Police Lt. Eric Anderson. “But it was busy out there for a while, that’s for sure.”

The weather was blamed on at least one fatality: In Maine, a mother was killed and her child injured following a three-car pileup in Topsham, police said.

The snowfall was lighter than expected in some areas. The Connecticut measurements fell short of the predicted 14 inches, and initial forecasts for New York City’s northern suburbs were for as much as a foot, but the metro area got mostly rain.