Washington, Feb 22 (NationPress) A rapidly intensifying winter storm is poised to unleash heavy snow, strong winds, and coastal flooding across the US Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. This has led to blizzard warnings in major cities such as New York and Boston, resulting in the cancellation of over 1,500 flights, according to reports from US media and federal meteorologists.

The National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center indicated that a low-pressure system over the Southeast would migrate to the southern Mid-Atlantic coast by Sunday morning and rapidly deepen by evening before tracking northeast along the Eastern Seaboard.

In its latest short-range forecast discussion, the center cautioned about a “Major Winter Storm for the Northeast” and “Heavy snow for the northern Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.”

“Snowfall rates exceeding 1 inch per hour will occur at times, with total snowfall amounts reaching between 1 to 2 feet, leading to nearly impossible travel conditions,” it stated. It also mentioned that this system would generate “widespread significant impacts across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast” from Sunday to Monday as the low-pressure area intensifies off the Mid-Atlantic coast.

Blizzard conditions are expected in coastal areas from Delaware to southeastern New England. Meteorologists warned that sharply reduced visibility would make travel extremely hazardous in these regions, with wind gusts expected to reach between 40 to 70 miles per hour from coastal New Jersey to southeastern New England.

The combination of heavy, wet snow and strong winds could lead to numerous power outages, as per the Weather Prediction Center. They also warned of moderate coastal flooding and road inundation near the waterfront from Delaware to Cape Cod.

The New York Times reported that blizzard warnings have been issued for much of the coastal Northeast, including New York City, which could receive as much as 2 feet of snow. This marks the first blizzard warning for New York City since 2017.

The Weather Service advised that travel could be “dangerous, if not impossible” with snowfall rates of one to two inches per hour or more anticipated Sunday night.

Over 1,500 flights have been cancelled nationwide for Sunday as of Saturday night, with significant cancellations reported at LaGuardia, Kennedy, and Newark airports.

The Wall Street Journal noted that this significant winter storm is expected to bring heavy snow and robust winds throughout the Northeast, prompting forecasters to issue the first blizzard warning for New York City in nearly a decade. Winds could gust up to 70 miles per hour, potentially leading to flight cancellations, downed trees, and power outages.

In the Washington, D.C. area, The Washington Post reported a powerful coastal storm is expected to deliver rain, snow, and wind from Sunday into Monday, with a winter weather advisory issued for the Beltway area late Sunday into Monday morning. Accumulation could range from just an inch or two in the southern suburbs and around the city to up to half a foot or more to the north and northeast of the Beltway.

The United States frequently experiences potent winter storms along the Atlantic seaboard during February, when cold continental air masses collide with warmer Atlantic waters.