HARTFORD (USA): The northeastern US, including New York City, prepared on Thursday for heavy snow, strong winds and frigid temperatures that threatened to slow the region’s return to work after the holidays.

Snow began falling overnight in parts of New England and New York, but the real force of the storm was expected later on Thursday and into Friday. Temperatures were expected to drop well below freezing, according to the National Weather Service.

“There will be travel problems,’’ said Hugh Johnson, a weather service meteorologist.

US airlines canceled more than 1,800 flights nationwide on Thursday in advance of the storm. Airlines already have canceled more than 500 flights scheduled for Friday. Chicago’s O’Hare and New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International airports are among the most affected. More than 500 flights in or out of O’Hare airport were canceled, according to FlightStats.com.

Up to 14 inches of snow is forecast for the Boston area, and the National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for Long Island outside New York City, where up to 10 inches of snow was expected.—AP