Millions of Americans gear up for major snow storm

The US today declared a state of emergency in six states for a "potentially paralysing" snow storm which may throw life out of gear over the next few days for millions of Americans with flight cancelations and looming shutdown of public transportation system here.

A state of emergency has been declared in the national capital of Washington and five other States – North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee and Pennsylvania -- as weathermen forecast gusty wind and blizzards are expected to dump up to 30 inches (76 cms) of snow.

Schools across these States have been closed as a precautionary measure, so has been a large number of offices and public transportation services.

Federal offices in Washington area have been closed after Friday noon.

Thousands of flights have been cancelled and the local metro in Washington yesterday announced that it would stop its service after this evening.

Same is the case with metro bus service.

The White House announced that due to inclement weather, the National Medals of Science and National Medals of Technology and Innovation ceremony has been postponed.

It is during this ceremony that Indian-American scientist Rakesh Jain was to be honoured by the US President Barack Obama with the prestigious National Medal of Science.

New dates would be announced soon.

"A potentially crippling winter storm is anticipated for portions of the mid-Atlantic Friday into early Saturday," said the National Weather Service.

Its director louis Uccelliniall told reporters during a conference call that the ingredients have come together to create blizzards with brutally high winds, dangerous inland flooding, white-out conditions and even the possibility of thunder snow, when lightning strikes through a snowstorm.

"It does have the potential to be an extremely dangerous storm that can affect more than 50 million people," he said.

Residents of both Washington and New York have been asked to stay indoors and not to come out as that would be risky.

In anticipation of the major snow storm, people thronged local grocery stores to buy supplies that could be used for days. As a result, many of the grocery stores ran out of items.

In some place people queued up before gas stations to fill up their car tanks.

Ahead of the first snowflakes, American Airlines said it was canceling hundreds of flights, including at Washington's two airports tomorrow. All flights on that day will also be scrapped in Baltimore and Philadelphia, a spokeswoman said, adding that service would likely resume Sunday and be reduced today.