Tens of millions in path of 'paralyzing' storm

The threat of a "paralyzing" blizzard that could affect 20 percent of the nation's population launched a frenzy of preparations across many states Thursday, from capitols to city halls, airports, emergency centers, and hardware stores.

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for the Philadelphia area, most of New Jersey, and the New York City area. Blizzard warnings were also in effect for Baltimore and Washington.

As they have for days, forecasters predicted from one to two feet of snow from Virginia to southern New England, intensified by high winds and even lightning.

"We're talking about a potentially paralyzing storm," said Louis W. Uccellini, director of the National Weather Service and one of the nation's top snowstorm experts. "We are now predicting that more than 50 million people will be affected."

Gov. Wolf declared a state of emergency in Pennsylvania, and many municipalities are expected to follow suit. Philadelphia Emergency Management Director Samantha Phillips said the city would decide Friday morning.

"We cannot control the weather, but we can be prepared for whatever the weather brings us," Wolf said at a news conference. "Just be safe."

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation had 4,800 equipment operators and 2,000 trucks ready to deploy during the storm, Transportation Secretary Leslie S. Richards said. The agency also had about 733,000 tons of salt on hand.

Up and down the coast, the looming storm was shaping the weekend. Governors from North Carolina to New York authorized emergency services to begin, and airports canceled hundreds of flights.

Onshore winds gusting past 55 m.p.h. were predicted for the Jersey Shore, and major flooding was possible, the weather service said.

"We're preparing for the worst, like you always do," Gov. Christie said while campaigning in New Hampshire, "and we can always scale back."

Ivy Rosenberg, whose family has owned Arrow Hardware in Ventnor, N.J., since the 1950s, was taking the warnings to heart.

"I've seen many, many storms," Rosenberg said. "Some of them we discount as not much will happen, but others we pay attention to. And this one, we are paying attention to."

For several days, computer meteorological models had been almost unwavering on the storm's potential, giving state, local, utility, and emergency officials ample time and reason to adjust.

American Airlines, the dominant carrier at Philadelphia International Airport, announced it was reducing its Friday night schedules and canceling all Saturday flights. American and other major airlines said they would waive flight-change fees.

Event cancellations were piling up. Among the first casualties was the Scrapplefest at the Reading Terminal Market, although the market itself plans to open.

Philadelphia public schools likely won't be affected on Friday, but a planned Saturday administration of the SAT has been postponed, district spokesman Fernando Gallard said. Should a major storm force cancellation of school Monday, the class day would be made up, he said, because the district has no buffer days on its calendar this year.

The mega-threat comes after a record warm December and just 10 days after Philadelphia set a record for the longest winter wait for even a trace of snow.

"This might not be the last storm," said Jack Boston, a meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc., "but it's definitely the first."

Residents might be dealing with storm rust, but thanks to the gentle winter the region is positively awash in deicing salt and other products - at least for now.

"Obviously it's been a very warm winter so far, and we've been able to stockpile salt," said Josh Shapiro, chairman of the Montgomery County commissioners. "We have more than enough for this storm."

At the True Value hardware store in Newtown Square, bags of ice melt were stacked on pallets Thursday afternoon, with another load expected to arrive Friday.

"We can never tell if we have enough," said owner John Schilgen, who watched a stream of customers the last few days buy shovels, batteries, flashlights, and ice melt. "People get a little crazy when a storm is coming."

The line just to enter the Center City Trader Joe's snaked around the corner Thursday night. Employees handed out chocolate-covered shortbread cookies to appease the waiting customers. Once inside, the shoppers found depleted shelves.

The preparations are warranted, said Uccellini, coauthor of Northeast Snowstorms, an oft-cited book on East Coast snowstorms. But he cautioned that questions remain on just how much snow will fall and where.

"We still have forecast challenges," he said. Timing issues still are evolving, along with the dividing lines that will determine which areas get rain and which get snow.

Uccellini said he was confident any coastal flooding would not rival that caused by Hurricane Sandy, in 2012, despite the full moon. He noted that Sandy crashed into New Jersey head-on; this storm will parallel the coast.

Asked how he would rank this one among winter storms past, Uccellini said: "See me next week for a historical comparison."

twood@phillynews.com, 610-313-8210, @woodt15

Contributing to this article were staff writers Michaelle Bond, Kristen A. Graham, Laura McCrystal, Tricia L. Nadolny, Chris Palmer, Jessica Parks, Mari A. Schaefer, Joseph A. Gambardello, and Jacqueline L. Urgo. It also contains information from the Associated Press.