NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A winter storm that brought a rare white Christmas to parts of the South barreled up the East Coast on Saturday night, with forecasters predicting 6 to 10 inches of snow today for Washington and blizzard conditions for New York City and the New Jersey shore.
Virginia and North Carolina declared states of emergency as crews tried to clear highways. Authorities in Mid-Atlantic states spent Christmas Day preparing for up to a foot of snowfall. And airlines began canceling flights in the Northeast corridor before the intensifying storm arrived.
The storm was scrambling the plans of holiday travelers along the Eastern Seaboard. Motorists will be facing treacherous road conditions in many states today with blowing snow and low visibility.
Continental Airlines canceled 250 departures from Newark Liberty International Airport outside New York City. United Airlines announced late Saturday that it had canceled 61 departures today from Newark, Philadelphia, New York’s LaGuardia and JFK, Boston, Bradley International in Connecticut, Providence, Albany International in New York and Manchester Boston Regional Airport.
“Our concern is tomorrow, it’s going to get significantly colder,” Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell told The Weather Channel. “Winds with gusts up to 45 miles per hour will cause blowing snow, and that’s going to cause the worst of it . . . .”
As of late Saturday evening, the National Weather Service had issued winter weather warnings from north Georgia to southern New England. Winter weather watches were in effect for eastern Tennessee and Kentucky up to West Virginia.
A blizzard warning was issued for New York City for today and Monday, with a forecast of 11 to 16 inches of snow and strong winds that will reduce visibility to near zero at times. As much as 18 inches could fall on the New Jersey shore. Heavy snow was predicted for Philadelphia and Boston.
United Airlines said weather conditions would likely force delays and cancellations at its hub at Washington Dulles International Airport and at other northeastern airports until Monday.
The Carolinas got their first white Christmas in decades as snow began falling Saturday morning in Asheville, N.C., and spread to Raleigh by noon.
It’s the first Christmas snow for the Carolinas since 1989, when a foot fell along the coast. For Columbia, S.C., it was the first significant Christmas snow since weather records were first kept in 1887.
In Nashville, some travelers who expected a smooth trip on Christmas got a rude surprise. “We were hoping this was going to be a good day to travel,” said Heather Bansmer, 36, of Bellingham, Wash.
She and husband Shawn Breeding, 40, were going home on separate flights after visiting relatives in Bowling Green, Ky. Breeding’s flight through Atlanta was canceled, and the couple spent much of Christmas Day in separate airports. “A white Christmas is not so welcome,” Breeding said, as the couple stood in the lobby of the Nashville airport.
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