In a swath stretching from the Mexican border in the southwest to Maine and Vermont in the northeast, more than 170 million people are expected to be affected by the storm. Large amounts of snow, strong wind gusts and local temperatures as low as -45 degrees Celsius are expected. More than 1,700 flights have already been canceled.
14 states have declared states of emergency for the weekend. In Chicago, schools were closed on Friday and severe weather warnings have been issued for cities such as Austin, Texas, and Memphis, Tennessee, NBC and ABC report.
The capital, Washington, D.C., is also affected, with over 20 centimeters of snow expected over the weekend.
"This is the most snow we've seen in a long time. Be prepared," said Mayor Muriel Bowser.
