NWS issues Blizzard Warning for DC area Friday into Saturday

There could be six inches of snow on the ground by midnight Friday night, and snowfall rates of an inch or more per hour will continue all night and through most of the day Saturday.

It is less certain whether New York City, Philadelphia and Boston will see heavy snowfall, CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen said. Heavy snow will develop across parts of Tennessee, Kentucky, and the Virginias.

Governors in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and joined Bowser in declaring states of emergency while the governor of West Virginia declared a state of preparedness-all to allow for road crews and other workers to get ready for the storm.

It forecast up to 2 feet (61 cm) of snow in Washington, and as much as 30 inches (75 cm) in western suburbs, with winds gusting to 50 miles per hour (80 kph). About 900 airline flights have been canceled for Friday ahead of the storm.

“If this is a blizzard and we have sustained winds and people lose power, that would be my biggest concern”, Bowser said.

States of emergency were also declared in neighbouring Virginia and Maryland. Models have so far been consistent showing the storm could drop up to 2 feet of powder (with more in high altitudes) in a bull’s-eye centered on D.C. and Virginia, with up to a foot possible in contiguous states.

Along with the snow, the area will also be dealing with strong and gusty winds.

Thursday, Jan. 21, according to The Weather Channel, 80 million people were given from blizzard and winter storm watches all the way down to a freezing rain advisory.

“New Yorkers should be ready for a big storm this weekend”, de Blasio said.

Meanwhile, forecasters said, winter weather could hit the north Alabama as a potential blizzard threatens states along the East Coast.

“Heavy snow and blowing snow will cause unsafe conditions and will be a threat to life and property”, the National Weather Service warned.

“We’ve all been lulled asleep a bit by how warm a winter it’s been”, de Blasio said at a press conference.

For Long Island, the storm is expected to start out as “all snow and remains snow for much of the event”.

“It’s going to be risky out there”, Woods said.

Airlines began making preparations for the storm on Thursday, cancelling thousands of flights at airports in the Washington area and North Carolina, including major hubs at Dulles near Washington and Charlotte operated by United and American Airlines respectively.

Blizzard warnings have been issued in Washington and Baltimore, with extreme conditions expected to begin on Friday afternoon.

“I would suggest that people pay attention to this system”, Uccellini said.

“This is not a storm that anyone should take lightly, and I would urge all residents to plan to get to a safe place before the storm arrives on Friday afternoon”, said WMATA general manager Paul Wiedefeld.