3 DEAD, 9K FLIGHTS CANCELLED AS SNOWSTORM HEADS EAST

A weekend snowstorm that has left at least three dead is hitting
the eastern United States as of Saturday morning, with the
possibility of record snowfall.



In North and South Carolina, almost 150,000 customers were
without power, according to Duke Energy, and the Virginia State
Police responded to 989 traffic crashes and 793 disabled
vehicles on Friday alone.


A shelter opened for drivers in Kentucky after Interstate 75 shut
down due to bad conditions. Kentucky State Police tweeted late
Friday evening that emergency management teams were
making their way to the stranded cars with water and fuel.
More than 6,800 flights have already been canceled for this
weekend and cities are bracing for the worst.

Here's everything people on the East Coast need to know.

Fatalities

There have been three deaths in two states -- Virginia and
North Carolina -- as result of this storm system Friday. All three
were the result of car accidents.

Expected Snow Totals

- Washington, D.C.: In D.C. and Baltimore about 20 to 25
inches of snow is expected. If D.C. gets more than 20 inches
of snow, this will be the biggest snowstorm since the blizzard
of 1922 that left D.C. with 28 inches of powder.
- Philadelphia: Philadelphia is expected to get 18 to 24 inches
of snow.
- Central NJ: Parts of central New Jersey could see up to 18
inches. Gov. Chris Christie declared a state of emergency for
New Jersey Friday night.
- New York City: In New York City, 10 to 15 inches of snow is
likely.

The Impact

Some 80 million Americans were expected to be impacted by
the storm or bracing for the storm.
Winter Weather Alerts stretch from Mississippi to
Massachusetts, spanning over 1,000 miles.

Blizzard Warnings

A blizzard watch is in effect for Washington; Baltimore,
Maryland; Wilmington, Delaware; Philadelphia; Trenton, N.J.;
Newark, N.J.; New York City; and Long Island.
Washington will be under a blizzard warning from 3 p.m. Friday
to 6 a.m. Sunday.
In Philadelphia, the blizzard warning began at 7 p.m. Friday to
10 a.m. Sunday.
Snowfall was expected in the New York City area between 9
p.m. and 11 p.m. The storm will pick up in intensity by early
Saturday morning.
The New York City blizzard warning will last from 6 a.m.
Saturday to 1 p.m. Sunday.


A Potentially Deadly Storm for D.C.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said Friday morning that residents
need to treat the storm as a life and death weather event.
"We’ve had a forecast we haven’t seen in 90 years,” Bowser
said at a news conference. "It has life and death implications."
The mayor warned of high winds and potential power outages
from trees taking down electrical lines.

“Our chief concern is making sure Washingtonians are safe
throughout this event,” Bowser said, adding that “people need
to stay inside” and not risk going out in the storm.
The city is asking residents to be prepared to stay indoors for
72 hours. Residents are also being asked to stay off the roads
and stock up on food, water, battery operated radios and
flashlights in case of power outages.

Problems in the South and on the Coast
As the storm was expected to move east Friday afternoon,
heavy ice accumulation could cripple places like Charlotte, North
Carolina; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Greenville, South Carolina.
In North Carolina, over 67,000 customers were without power
as of 5 p.m. Friday, said North Carolina Emergency
Management.

The state had about 1,274 reported traffic collisions, according to the Carolina highway patrol.
On Friday evening, the storm was to bear down on the East
Coast, from Virginia to New Jersey.
A coastal flood warning was issued for Virginia, New Jersey
and the southern coast of Long Island.
Wind gusts could top 60 miles per hour this evening.

The worst coastal flooding  and erosion will be in southern New
Jersey, where some areas could see record flood levels. Waves
up to 20 feet are possible along the Jersey shore.
A Winter Weather Emergency in NYC
A winter weather emergency will be in effect in New York City,
starting at 8 a.m. Saturday morning and lasting until Saturday
night at midnight, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Friday.
The mayor said he might extend the emergency depending on
conditions.

A winter weather emergency means any unnecessary driving
should be avoided, he said.
"Unless it is urgent - stay off the roads," de Blasio said.
The mayor clarified that this is not a travel ban, which was
instituted last winter during a snowstorm.
"This is less intense but still very, very serious," he warned.
"Stay off the roads tomorrow," he said. "If your vehicles are
blocking the work of our snow plows, your vehicles will be
towed."

Besides the heavy snow and strong winds, de Blasio said the
city can expect whiteout conditions.
The brunt of the storm is expected to happen between 8 a.m.
and mid-afternoon Saturday, but could continue Sunday
morning, he said. About 12 to 18 inches is expected, the
mayor said, although ABC News meteorologists predict slightly
less.

A coastal flood warning is also in effect in New York City.
Flight Cancellations
In total, airlines have cancelled over 9,000 flights for Friday,
Saturday and Sunday, according to FlightAware.com.
The Philadelphia airport has cancelled all flights for Saturday.
The Baltimore Office of Emergency Management tweeted

Friday evening that all flight operations at BWI Marshall Airport
have ceased due to the inclement weather.
ABC News' Max Golembo, Dan Peck and Margaret Chadbourn
contributed to this report.
Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story reported 9 dead.
We have since corrected the number to 3.