Northeast United States hit by huge snow storm

Heavy snow began blanketing the northeast of the United States on Friday as two weather systems collided to create what meteorologists forecast will be a massive storm, dpa reported.

New York City officials warned residents to prepare for the worst after forecasters said the storm could be the biggest blizzard in a century.

Some cities in New Jersey, Connecticut and New York were expecting up to 30 centimetres of snow. Boston could be deep in 60 centimetres of snow by the time the storm, accompanied by 60-mile-per-hour wind gusts, moves out to the Atlantic Ocean by midday Saturday.

Boston had closed all schools for Friday and the local government had asked all drivers to stay off the highways from Friday to Saturday.

Hundreds of incoming international flights to major airports in New York City, Newark in New Jersey and Boston had been cancelled. Amtrak trains connecting New York and Boston were to be suspended starting later Friday.

Forecasters said the storm could dump heavy snow along the coastlines from New York and New Jersey to Maine, which were hard hit by Super Hurricane Sandy in October. Sandy inflicted billions of dollars in damages.