New York - A life-threatening blizzard barreled into the US Northeast, affecting up to 20 percent of Americans by making workers and students housebound, halting thousands of flights and prompting New York to ban cars from roads and halt subway trains.
SAA announced on Monday that it would be cancelling two of its New York flights due to the adverse weather conditions.
In the US memories of Sandy, a superstorm that ravaged the East Coast in 2012, are still fresh as the governors of six East Coast states declared emergencies, and the snow blast threatened to affect up to 60 million people in nearly a dozen states.
The National Weather Service warned of a "life-threatening blizzard" that could dump as much as 30 inches (76 cm) of snow on parts of the region. It said winds could gust up to 55 mph (80 kph) around New York City.
Retailers ran short of everything from shovels and snowblowers to bread, water and other basic groceries.
"Please stay home," New Jersey Governor Chris Christie told residents, ordering all but the most essential government workers in his state home from Monday afternoon until Wednesday at the earliest.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo banned travel from 23:00 (04:00 GMT) for all but emergency vehicles on roads in 13 counties, including New York City, suburban Westchester and Long Island, with the threat of a $300 fine for violators.
"If you are in your car and you are on any road, town, village, city, it doesn't matter, after 11 o'clock, you will technically be committing a crime," Cuomo said. "It could be a matter of life and death so caution is required."
Vacationers and business travelers faced headaches as airlines canceled around 3 000 US flights, with Boston and New York airports most heavily affected, according to flight-tracking service FlightAware.
New York authorities said "virtually all" flights at LaGuardia Airport on Tuesday would be canceled and cancellations at John F Kennedy International Airport would be "significant."
Amtrak suspended rail service on Tuesday between New York and Boston, and into New York state, Vermont, Massachusetts and Maine.
The biggest snowfall on record in New York City came during the storm of Feb. 11-12, 2006, dropping 26.9 inches (68 cm), according to the city's Office of Emergency Management.
"Snowmageddon" on social media
Stuck at home, many Easterners turned to social media to give voice to their frustration, adopting such storm-related hashtags as #blizzardof2015, #Snowmageddon2015 and #Snowpocalypse.
These are just some of the posts shared on twitter:
Across NE, millions are panicked they may lose internet and have to talk to their families. Trying hard to remember names. #Snowmageddon2015
— stuart stevens (@stuartpstevens) January 27, 2015
Get the milk and bread! #blizzardof2015 #Snowmageddon pic.twitter.com/Htx0upK3AB
— Cathy Holland (@PosyPopJewelry) January 26, 2015
This winter storm has everyone like! #snowpocalypse pic.twitter.com/OQsSBCMZrG
— Coach Hines (@CoachHinesBHS) January 26, 2015
meanwhile, in New York... #juno #blizzardof2015 #NewYork #Snowmageddon2015 pic.twitter.com/KNrRmJJCxC
— Maurice van Berkel (@Mvan_berkel) January 26, 2015
We got the last cart at @WholeFoods in Cambridge. Everyone is out preparing for #Blizzardof2015 #Juno pic.twitter.com/E9J7g5ib1X
— Rosie Woods (@RosieABC57) January 26, 2015
Bare shelves in Bristol, CT. @toddstarnes @JenCarfagno @JimCantore @ShawnRTV6 @weatherchannel #Juno #blizzardof2015 pic.twitter.com/ZpJtTLQu58
— Alex Sturgill (@alexsturgill) January 26, 2015
Current status: https://t.co/9CSlZPeuej #Snowmageddon2015
— Adam Salsman (@asalsman) January 26, 2015