Millions hunker down as big storm slams US

WASHINGTON: Tens of millions of residents from northern Georgia to New Jersey have shuttered themselves inside to wait out a mammoth storm that has made travel treacherous and could dump up to 2 feet of snow in some areas. Blizzard warnings stretch from northeastern Virginia to New York City, with much of the worst still to come throughout the day Saturday. Two feet or more of snowfall was forecast for Washington and Baltimore, and nearly as much for Philadelphia. As heavy, wet snow began falling Friday, grocery shelves were stripped, states of emergency were declared, lawmakers went home, and schools, government offices and transit systems closed early. At least 7,600 flights scheduled for Friday and Saturday have been canceled. The National Weather Service’s website early Saturday said 18 inches of snow had fallen on Ulysses in eastern Kentucky, while 16 inches fell in Beattyville. Between 14 inches to 15.5 inches had fallen in at other locations across Kentucky, including Frenchburg, Mount Vernon, Eglon and Lancer. The Weather service says 7 inches of snow fell in Washington, D.C. while snowfall amounts in nearby Maryland ranged between 4.5 inches in Baltimore and 13.5 inches in Oakland. In Virginia, Reagan National Airport reported 6.8 inches of snow and Elma had 15 inches. Other states that recorded snowfall amounts greater than 6 inches included Delaware, Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. Various locations in Georgia and Alabama received between 1 and 3.5 inches of snow. Snow started falling Friday, but the worst was still yet to come, with strong winds and heavy snow expected to produce “life-threatening blizzard conditions” throughout the day Saturday. Safer at sea For the passengers on a cruise ship heading back to snowy Baltimore from the Bahamas, one more day at sea doesn’t sound like such a bad idea. The Maryland Department of Transportation said Friday that the blizzard slamming the Eastern US means the port won’t be ready for the Royal Caribbean International’s Grandeur of the Seas until Monday. Royal Caribbean spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez says the ship was to return Sunday from an eight-day trip to the Bahamas. The plans changed after forecasts of more than 2 feet of snow for the Baltimore area. State of emergency In New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie declared a state of emergency as the storm approached on Friday night. Christie held a briefing with his Cabinet and then a news conference, in which he told people to be smart and stay off roadways on Saturday. Most of the state is facing a blizzard warning from Friday evening until Sunday that calls for up to 24 inches of snow, with the deepest accumulations in the central part of the state. New Jersey state climatologist David Robinson says back bay flooding and beach erosion at the shore could range from moderate to major, but he doesn’t expect storm surge levels in the northern part of the state to be as bad as they were during Superstorm Sandy. -arabnews