A rare October snowstorm blanketed the U.S. East Coast with heavy record snowfall Saturday that knocked down trees and power lines just before Halloween.

After covering parts of Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland, snow blanketed central Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.

In some places, the bad weather dumped as many as 15 inches of snow, causing power outages for more than 2 million customers. The heavy storm reportedly caused three deaths.

It's a strong storm for October. We don't usually see storms this deep and this strong, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Paul Walker said.

According to AccuWeather, the storm shattered a 1925 record by bringing more than an inch of snow to New York's Central Park. Many New Yorkers were in shock after the unexpected storm, as people checked into places like Snowtober 2011, Snowpocalypse, and Snowloween on Four Square.

The storm is expected to get worse by early Sunday as it moves north into New England. About 15.5 inches of snow had fallen in West Milford, N.J., by Saturday evening.

Power outages were experienced in many areas as snowfall and falling trees left millions of homes along the East Coast in darkness.

A statewide emergency has been declared in New Jersey, Connecticut, And Massachusetts.

Eastern Pennsylvania was a big target of the storm, according to the National Weather Service.

The surprising storm came on a busy weekend, when children are going door-to-door for Halloween booty.

Check out the pictures below.

Rare October Storm
Snow hangs on rose petals as snowfall begins on Saturday in Nyack, N.Y. Reuters
Rare October Storm
A member of the Occupy Wall Street movement demonstrates in Zuccotti Park during the season's first snowfall on Saturday in New York. Reuters
Rare October Storm
Workers clear snow from sidewalks as a decorative display of pumpkins is coated by snow on Saturday in New York. Reuters
Rare October Storm
A woman and child carry umbrellas to shield themselves from the snow on Saturday in New York. Reuters
Rare October Storm
Actors dressed as a toy soldier and a clown greet local children and children of military families as they arrive in the snow to trick-or-treat at the North Portico of the White House in Washington on Saturday. Reuters
Rare October Storm
People prepare to walk across a street as snow falls in Washington on Saturday. Reuters
Rare October Storm
Local children and children of military families arrive in the snow to trick-or-treat at the North Portico of the White House in Washington on Saturday. Reuters
New York Pennsylvania Halloween New York