gThe northeastern US is preparing for snow, high winds and frigid temperatures as a gust of wintry weather bears down on New England and surrounding states.
Temperatures in New York are expected to drop to minus 12C with a wind chill factor of minus nine degrees.
Tracking system FlightAware said on Thursday that about 2,000 flights entering, leaving or inside the United States had been cancelled.
The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories for a huge area spanning states from Chicago through New York, New England and the US capital Washington.
Heavy winter weather was hitting the country's midwest, dropping a blanket of snow and cancelling flights at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.
The northeastern winter warning was in effect in New York from Thursday evening through midday Friday, with forecasters predicting six to 10 inches (15 to 25 centimetres) of snow and winds that could reach up to 45 miles (72 kilometres) per hour.
The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for New York's Long Island.
The storm in the Big Apple, where forecasters expect three to seven inches of snow, will pose a first test for the city's new Mayor Bill de Blasio, who assumed his post on Wednesday.
De Blasio said the city had "laser" focus as it prepared.
"We are ready," he said. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo activated the State Emergency Operations Center and urged people to use public transportation, warning of possible highway closures due to inclement weather.
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