Blizzard threatens NYC, north-eastern US

BOSTON (AP) - A blizzard of potentially historic proportions threatened to strike the Northeast with a vengeance on Friday, with up to 0.6m of snow forecast along the densely populated corridor from the New York City area to Boston and beyond.

Halfway through what was looking like a merciful winter, people stocked up on food and other storm supplies, and road crews along the East Coast readied salt and sand ahead of what forecasters warned could be one for the record books.

Boston and Providence, Rhode Island, called off school on Friday, and airlines canceled more than 500 flights and counting, with the disruptions certain to ripple across the United States (US).

"Everybody's going to get plastered with snow," said Massachusetts-based National Weather Service meteorologist Alan Dunham.