A behemoth of a snowstorm is gaining momentum in the Northeast and Midwest. The storm, which started early Thursday morning, is expected to leave more than 100 million people with at least a foot and a half of snow by Friday, NBC News reported.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for all of New York City, predicting heavy snow and brutal winds up until Friday afternoon. A blizzard warning was issued for Long Island, expected to get 10 inches of snow and 45 mph winds on Thursday evening. (SEE MAP)
Other snow warnings were issued as far as Chicago and New England, as well as the New York tri-state area, NBC News reported.
"It's going to be a long-duration event," Michael Palmer, The Weather Channel's lead meteorologist, told NBC News. "The wind is going to whip around the snow and reduce the visibility, creating near-blizzard conditions in Boston, much of Connecticut and then down maybe as far south as New Jersey and even New York City."
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo strongly advised commuters against taking their cars to work in case highways are shut down.
"We are telling people, prepare for road closings and take mass transit," Cuomo said, according to NBC News.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration said it would do all it can to keep the subway, Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North running. However, the MTA said bus transportation will stop if the roads become unbearable, NBC News reported.
According to FlightAware.com, an airplane tracking website, nearly 1,500 U.S. flights were canceled on Thursday. Another 4,433 flights were delayed. O'Hare International Airport in Chicago and New Jersey's Newark Liberty International airport had the most cancelations.
The snowstorm is expected to be over by Friday, but not before it leaves behind temperatures ranging from the teens to minus-30 degrees.
"This is likely to be the coldest weather for much of the Northeast since January 2009, AccuWeather meteorologist Bernie Rayno told USA Today.
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