Winter Storm Jonas, a historic blizzard that's currently dumping snow on the east coast, has already caused the world's worst D.C. traffic jam, cleared out the shelves of grocery stores everywhere, and been blamed for nine deaths, and it's just getting started. The storm, which has caused 11 states, including New York, to declare a state of emergency, has also grounded more than 8,000 flights for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. On Saturday alone, 90 percent of flights were canceled out of New York's LaGuardia airport.
"Anyone who has looked out the window understand the conditions," said New York Mayor Bill De Blasio at a press conference on Saturday. He urged motorists to stay off the roads, as flooding in streets and on highways is a major concern. (In some states, coastal flooding is forecast to be worse than flooding caused by Hurricane Sandy.) Weather forecasters estimate the city might see 20 to 30 inches of snow before Sunday morning. New York City busses will stop running at noon today, and public transportation in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington D.C. has also been shut down.
Oh, and in case you were wondering, this is what Jonas looks like from space:
On the bright side, this panda is having a great time.
In short, be smart andĀ stay inside.
