NEW YORK: A deadly first 2018 storm barrelled into the US Northeast region, paralysing life in general as not many people dared step out in frigid weather because of emergencies and work.

The weather centre warned the so-called “winter bomb” will bring down the temperatures to sub-zero, which is not a common occurrence.

Parents who were working in the morning but their children schools were closed faced a dilemma to take off or hire baby sitters who are few and expensive.

A New York city website said more than 4,000 flights were cancelled and all public schools in New York City, Boston and New Jersey, Philadelphia were closed on Thur­s­day as about 50 million people braced for a nasty nor’easter that could dump a foot of snow or more — the largest so far this season.

In New York JFK and La Guardia airports were shutdown as the flight were landing but not taking off.

Fifty eight million people from Maine down through New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, are being affected by a winter storm that dumped as much as four inches of snow per hour, the weather channel said.

Snow forecasts for major cities by the end of the day: Boston, 12-18 inches; New York City, 8-12 inches; Philadelphia, 3-5 inches.

A blizzard warning has been issued for southeastern Massachu­set­ts, southeastern Connecticut and eastern and central Long Island, New York, but blizzard conditions should lift for most by 6pm on Thursday.

Snowfall across the East Coast will cease late on Thursday, according to The Weather Channel.

Wind gusts have reached about 50 mph in some areas and will continue into Friday, causing blowing and drifting snow.

Schools throughout Boston, New York and Philadelphia are closed, as well as some government institutions. Boston public schools will remain closed on Friday.

The winter whiplash comes just a day after states along the East Coast were enjoying record highs in the 60s and 70s.

“It’s going to be a big shock to people, no doubt,” said Michael Palmer, lead meteorologist at The Weather Channel. “It’s quite unusual to have such a change in the space of one day.”

The governors of New York and other North East states declared state of emergencies. Mayor of New York Bill De-blasio also declared state of emergency.

Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2018