Northeast in grip of winter storm
Blizzard warning issued for New York City
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This radar and satellite map shows the winter storm moving across the Northeast at 6:32 a.m.
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Wintry storm weather swept through the mountain regions of North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.
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NEW YORK (CNN) -- Snow fell early today across much of the Northeast, where a low pressure system is expected to generate a heavier fall -- as much as 18 inches in some areas -- over the weekend.
Overnight, the heavy snows caused traffic accidents and airport delays. Visibility was down to a quarter-mile in parts of New England as winds and snow made driving conditions treacherous. In New York City a blizzard warning has been issued from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. Saturday.
In Connecticut, traffic accidents were widespread Friday, with a portion of I-95 shut down during rush hour. Authorities urged residents to limit travel Saturday.
Winds were expected to be 15-20 mph Saturday, with gusts as high as 40 mph.
"We're hoping people take caution," said Julie Bisi, a spokeswoman for Connecticut's emergency management office. "The blowing and drifting could cause problems."
Forecasters said the height of the storm is expected to come at midday Saturday. Snow totals are predicted to be 10-18 inches.
"The nor'easter has yet to crank up," National Weather Service meteorologist Kimberly Buttrick said Friday night from Taunton, Massachusetts. "This is just the beginning."
The snow and low clouds were wreaking havoc on air travel in the Northeast, with the worst delays for some incoming flights running close to 15 hours. Ground stops were in effect late Friday at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, Philadelphia International Airport in Pennsylvania, and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport in Ohio. Ground stops were also imposed in Chicago, Illinois; Atlanta, Georgia; and as far away as San Francisco, California.
A ground stop means traffic at other airports bound for that destination is not allowed to depart.
Winter storm warnings were in effect from eastern Ohio to Connecticut and from West Virginia into Massachusetts. Freezing rain, sleet and snow from the first storm blanketed parts of North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia and more is expected as the storm moves up the Atlantic coast.
Washington is expected to get 4-6 inches, and Philadelphia is bracing for 8-10 inches.
New York is expected to get at least 8-14 inches of snow. New York City has 200,000 tons of salt to be dispersed on roads, and 1,700 snowplows at the ready.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said 3,000 city workers would be on duty to make sure the city's 6,000 miles of roads stay clear.
"This is snow that we know how to take care of; we have a well-trained work force; they've got the right equipment," he said in a news conference Friday night.
Bloomberg said the roads were fine, but when the storm blows in Saturday, conditions could be bad.
"The winds are forecast to be very strong, really blizzard conditions, that's when you'll have to worry about trees coming down, power lines," he said.
The weather grounded President Bush's planned Marine One helicopter flight to a re-election campaign luncheon in Baltimore, Maryland, where 6 inches of snow by midmorning had clogged streets and slowed traffic.
Instead of the helicopter, the White House said the president would make the 45-mile trip by motorcade.
