States of Emergency Declared Ahead of East Coast Winter Storm "Jonas"

John Jessup : Jan 22, 2016
CBN News

Possible 2-3 Feet of snow forecast, along with dangerous ice for some areas. The Weather Channel has named the storm "Jonas."

(Washington)—[CBN News] Snow, ice, coastal flooding, and freezing rain—those are some of the conditions Winter Storm Jonas is bringing to more than a dozen states. (Screengrab via CBN News)

"This is predicted to be the worst storm our state has seen since Snowmageddon in 2010," Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said.

The huge storm is packing a cold punch across parts of the South. Meanwhile, blizzard-like conditions are expected to barrel up the East Coast, leaving heavy snowfalls from Washington, DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, all the way up to New York State.

Hours before the storm, utility companies sent warnings to customers about potential widespread power outages. Along the Eastern Seaboard, residents in states like New Jersey are worried about coastal flooding.

Meanwhile, flights are being grounded, ruining travel plans.

"This is a very significant storm and we're doing the very best we can to accommodate passengers," American Airlines spokeswoman Katie Cody said.

The nation's capital is expected to be the hardest hit, with forecasters predicting more than 20 inches of snow. With that in mind, Washington residents aren't messing around.

Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a state of emergency, closing all public schools Friday. And area residents flocked to grocery stores, preparing to be holed up for the weekend. (Screengrab via CBN News)

"I don't know about you, but I don't want to run out of my food. I don't want to run out of my water, my bread—and chili," resident Ali Wehr said.

Nerves are frayed after what many are calling a trial run in which an unexpected light snow left motorists stranded for hours, even delaying President Barack Obama and his motorcade in Wednesday's nightmare commute.

"We are very sorry for an inadequate response," Mayor Bowser said.

For the 77 million people in the path of the front, they're hoping to dodge another disaster in the wake of a potentially historic storm.