New York braces for 'potentially historic' blizzard

Speaking at a news conference on Sunday, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio called on residents of the city to take precautions ahead of the arrival of the storm, "the likes of which we've never seen before.

"We are facing most likely one of the largest snowstorms in the history of this city," de Blasio said. "Take every precaution, now is the time to get ready for this extreme weather," he warned.

"Don't underestimate the storm," he added, saying New York could get as much as three feet, or just under a meter of fresh snow.

According to New York's Office of Emergency Management, the biggest snowfall on record in the city came in February 2006, when 26.9 inches (68 centimeters) fell on the city.

'Potentially historic' blizzard

The mayor's warning came after the US National Weather Service predicted that a major storm would hit parts of the eastern United States on Monday and dump snow on the region for as long as two days. It also places states from New Jersey to Indiana under winter storm watches and advisories.

"This system will be responsible for heavy snowfall and strong winds, with blizzard conditions possible along coastal areas from New Jersey to Massachusetts," the Weather Service said. It described the approaching storm as a "crippling and potentially historic blizzard."

Flights cancelled, rush on essential goods

The Reuters news agency reported that the US airline Delta had already cancelled some 600 flights in anticipation of the storm, while Southwest Airlines had cancelled around 20 and American Airlines just a few.

Local residents were reported to be largely heeding the mayor's warning, with supermarkets and hardware stores experiencing a rush of shoppers stocking up on essential goods on Sunday.

pfd/cmk (AFP, Reuters, AP)