The leading edge of a monster snowstorm arrived on Friday afternoon in Washington, D.C., threatening to dump as many as 30 inches of powder on parts of the Middle Atlantic region and bring record accumulations to the U.S. capital.
After days of planning by emergency officials and a scramble by residents to stock up on supplies, the blizzard got underway in the nation’s capital at about 1 p.m. “I want to be very clear with everybody. This is a major storm,” Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said as the nation’s capital braced for what could turn out to be one of the worst storms in its history.
“This has life-and-death implications and all the residents of the District of Columbia should treat it that way.”
After the storm arrives late Friday in New York City, snow accumulation could reach up to 18 inches, with winds gusting to 50 miles per hour, creating blizzard conditions. Southeastern Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia, was expecting 10 to 18 inches of snow.
Residents up and down the East Coast have already been preparing for a number of days. Here’s a look at how they’re getting ready and what to expect.
Reuters contributed to this report.