text: HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A winter storm was bearing down on the Northeast, promising heavy snows, strong winds and bitter temperatures that will make commutes hazardous for the first work day of the new year. 
   
   People enjoy a snow-covered Cloud Gate at Millennium Park in downtown Chicago, which became a great photo opportunity for visitors, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014. As much as 9 inches of snow has fallen in some... (Associated Press) 
   
   Snow began falling overnight in parts of New England and New York but the real brunt of the storm wasn't expected to hit until later Thursday. As much as a foot of snow or more was forecast for some areas overnight Thursday into Friday, and temperatures were expected to plummet, with some areas seeing highs just above zero, the National Weather Service said. 
   
   "There will be travel problems," said Hugh Johnson, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Albany, N.Y. "It will be very cold." 
   
   Up to 14 inches of snow is forecast for the Boston area and the National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for Long Island — where 8 to 10 inches of snow could fall and winds could gust up to 45 mph — from Thursday evening into Friday afternoon. 
   
   The storm dropped a half-foot or more of snow in Illinois on Wednesday, prompting hundreds of flight cancellations into and out of Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, according to the aviation tracking website FlightAware.com. More than 900 U.S. flights were canceled for Thursday, with O'Hare and Newark Liberty International most affected. 
   
   Authorities said the weather may have been a factor in a fatal crash Wednesday evening involving a pickup and a bus carrying casino patrons in Indiana. Police said the truck's driver was killed and 15 bus passengers were hurt in the collision on a snow-covered and slushy highway in Rolling Prairie. 
   
   Sections of interior southern New England and New York could get up to a foot of snow by the time the storm moves out, with forecasts generally calling for 6 to 12 inches. New York City, likely to see 3 to 7 inches, issued a snow alert. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo urged the city's commuters to leave their cars at home in case major highways are closed for Thursday's evening rush hour. 
   
   "We are looking at a serious storm situation," Cuomo said. 
   
   Although lesser amounts of snow were forecast to the south, Philadelphia and parts of southern New Jersey were expected to see 3 to 7 inches of blowing, drifting snow. 
   
   In Toms River, N.J., Jonas Caldwell said he was prepared for whatever the storm might bring. 
   
   "Santa brought me a snow blower, and I've got rock salt for the ice, so now I'm just waiting for the storm," he said while grabbing a coffee at a convenience store. 
   
   Caldwell, an investment adviser, said he could work from home if necessary, but he was hoping that wouldn't be the case. 
   
   "There are too many distractions at home," he said. "But I won't be stupid ... If it gets as bad as they say it will be, or looks like it will, I'll be staying put." 
   
   In Hartford, Hal Guy, of nearby Glastonbury, was shopping for snow shovels — three, to be exact. 
   
   "We broke a couple in the last storm," he said. "We have four kids, so, three shovels, and we still have a little one back home." 
   
   Guy said three of his kids, girls ages 8, 10 and 12, have been out of school for two weeks for the holidays and hope to get a couple more days off with the snow. 
   
   Over in Maine, where some communities are still recovering from a recent ice storm that cut power to more than 100,000 customers, people seemed prepared for more winter weather. 
   
   Kelly St. Denis, of Auburn, went skiing Wednesday at the Sunday River ski area with family and friends. She said it's been cold but the skiing has been good. 
   
   "Hey, it's winter in Maine," she said. "We go with it." 
   
   ___ 
   
   Associated Press writers Wilson Ring in Montpelier, Vt., Holly Ramer in Concord, N.H., and David Sharp in Portland, Maine, and Bruce Shipkowski in Toms River, N.J., contributed to this report. ||||| Story highlights Midnight, Friday's midday high tides could produce coastal flooding in Massachusetts 
   
   Website: Over 2,200 U.S. flights are canceled Thursday; about 1,000 so far Friday 
   
   Parts of New York, Massachusetts and Maine are under blizzard warnings 
   
   In addition to the snow and wind, frigid temperatures are a major concern 
   
   An onslaught of fast-falling snow, whipping winds and bitter cold socked parts of the Northeast on Thursday, spurring a slew of travel woes, highway closures and worries that the headaches will only get worse as temperatures fall further. 
   
   This kind of weather, this time of year, in this region is nothing new: Connecticut's governor, for instance, noted the snow totals won't come close to the 40 inches that buried parts of his state last February. 
   
   At the same time, by Thursday night, it was already causing a mess -- whether you were waiting at an airport, had skidded off a road or were stuck at home hoping that your lights and perhaps your heat wouldn't suddenly stop working. 
   
   "Mother Nature has come to wish us happy new year," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. 
   
   The nor'easter, forming off the East Coast of the United States, prompted blizzard warnings from Thursday into Friday for New York's Long Island, Cape Cod, Massachusetts' South and North Shores, plus communities along Maine's coast. Boston, for example, was already getting buried by snow late Thursday afternoon. 
   
   About one-third of the nation, approximately 100 million people in 22 states, was in the path of the storm, which was expected to be at its fiercest between 8 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. Friday, according to CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen. 
   
   The complicated storm system "will raise havoc" this week, dumping a foot of snow and spreading subzero wind chills across parts of the region, the National Weather Service warned. 
   
   "Falling and blowing snow with strong winds and poor visibilities are likely," the Weather Service said . "This will lead to whiteout conditions making travel extremely dangerous. Do not travel." 
   
   Across the country, the nasty weather has snarled travel plans for many. 
   
   More than 2,200 U.S. flights had been canceled as of 10:45 p.m. Thursday, reported FlightAware.com , which tracks cancellations due to weather and mechanical problems. It's not like things will suddenly clear up: the same website reports that some 1,000 flights already have been canceled in advance for Friday. 
   
   Thursday's most affected airport was Chicago's O'Hare, with more than 650 cancellations in and out and about the same number of delays. Newark's Liberty International Airport, New York's LaGuardia and Cleveland's Hopkins also were affected. 
   
   American, US Airways, United, Many airlines are allowing passengers to make fee-free itinerary changes for destinations expected to be affected by winter storms. Delta Southwest/AirTran and JetBlue have all posted weather advisories on their websites. 
   
   Inside some airports, would-have-been travelers scrambled to rearrange flights or find a place to stay knowing that some things were out of their control. 
   
   "The warning has been coming for a couple of days, so we expected it," a man from South Carolina said from Boston's Logan Airport, as he headed with his family to a hotel and, hopefully, a Boston Bruins game knowing they couldn't fly, reported CNN affiliate WCVB . "We are stuck, we'll make the best of it." 
   
   Brenda Kopytko is luckily home in South Windsor, Connecticut, having ventured out into the snow earlier. A New England winter veteran, she's taking it in stride -- "This is nothing" -- if not the possibility of strong winds and power outages, particularly after being in the dark for nine days after last winter's storm. 
   
   "Once the winds start going and the branches start snapping, then I get a little nervous," Kopytko said. 
   
   Here's a breakdown of what to expect where: 
   
   New York and Long Island 
   
   As of Thursday night, New York City was under a winter storm warning, as were many other densely populated areas in seven other states. 
   
   The city of 8 million people could get 9 inches of snow, subzero wind chills and turbulent winds, forecasters said. 
   
   New York City is expecting to see 6 to 12 inches of snow overnight, with more possible on Long Island, where Nassau and Suffolk counties will be under a blizzard warning until 1 p.m. Friday, with predictions of 8 to 10 inches of snow, wind chills as low as 10 below zero and sustained winds of at least 35 mph. 
   
   Bitter cold will follow, with temperatures in the single digits by Saturday morning. 
   
   Upstate, the capital city of Albany could get buried under 14 inches of snow, with wind chills of 15 to 25 below zero, the National Weather Service said. 
   
   Cuomo declared a state of emergency for all of New York shortly after 3:45 p.m. Thursday, one of several steps taken to try to minimize the wild wintry weather's toll. 
   
   Among them is shutting down parts of Interstate 84, an east-west highway that goes from Connecticut to Pennsylvania, to commercial vehicles late Thursday afternoon, with nearby I-87 south of Albany closing at midnight. 
   
   That's the same time the Long Island Expressway -- in a different part of the state -- will close to traffic at the border between Nassau County and the Queens borough of New York. The hope is to reopen all these roads around 5 a.m., though that timing is very much subject to change. 
   
   "We'll make sure no one is in a state of danger on those roads," said Cuomo. 
   
   Massachusetts 
   
   By Friday night, Boston is expected to be covered by 10 to 18 inches of snow, about twice the amount forecast just one day ago, and shivering in temperatures as low as 6 degrees below zero. 
   
   Citing likely "near blizzard" conditions Thursday night into late Friday morning, the state's emergency management agency warned that some areas could be hit hard -- including up to two feet of snow on parts of the North Shore and South Shore, as well as Cape Cod. 
   
   The forecast was so bad for Boston that the city canceled school for Friday two days in advance, with scores of other school districts quickly following suit. 
   
   "I guess Mother Nature wanted to give me one more gift," Mayor Thomas Menino told reporters Thursday in one of his last days in the job he has held since 1993. 
   
   "Take precautions and take public transportation and take care of one another," he urged. But, he added, the city was doing its part, with 700 pieces of equipment on city streets. "Our team is ready," he said. 
   
   The combination of extreme cold, snow and strong winds had officials at homeless shelters preparing. 
   
   "Our main emphasis is getting people inside, where it is safer and warmer," said Jennifer Harris, a spokeswoman for the Pine Street Inn shelter system in Boston, where a snow emergency has been declared. "Pine Street Inn is making sure to have extra staff and food and water. We are geared up to provide to a greater number of people." 
   
   Blizzard warnings haven't been issued for Boston itself, but are in effect for parts of nearby Essex and Plymouth counties -- including the communities of Gloucester, Brockton and Plymouth -- as well as the Cape. 
   
   Because of the storm, the state Emergency Management Agency warned that the midnight and Friday midday high tides could produce "significant flooding" along the coast. To this point, the towns of Scituate and Duxbury requested voluntary evacuations for residents of certain low-lying areas. 
   
   Connecticut 
   
   Wind chills in parts of Connecticut are expected to range from -5 to -20 degrees Thursday night and Friday; the National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings for most of the state through Friday morning. 
   
   Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy urged residents to take it slow and give themselves extra time for their commutes Thursday and Friday. He said he expects there will be delays, but not cancellations, in public transit. 
   
   Addressing reporters, Malloy said the worst time for the state would be overnight -- between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., when there could be blizzard conditions. Still, the storm's impact could linger well beyond that if roads are blocked or the electricity goes out. 
   
   He acknowledged that this kind of weather is hardly unprecedented in Connecticut this time of year. Still, the governor added, what sets this system apart is the frigid temperatures forecast for the coming days. 
   
   That's a big concern throughout the region, especially for the homeless and people stranded -- whether along a road or inside without adequate heat or power -- by the bad weather. 
   
   "(This) is not a big New England storm, but it is a particularly cold New England storm," Malloy said. 
   
   Chicago and points beyond 
   
   Seven to 11 inches of snow were possible Thursday in Chicago, according to the National Weather Service. Windy City residents will feel frigid temps -- wind chills during the day Friday will creep down to minus 12 -- and emergency director Gary Schenkel said more snow is possible later in the week. 
   
   Though snow in Chicago in the winter is a common event, it "can still wreak havoc on daily routines," he noted. 
   
   Next week could be no better for some U.S. residents. 
   
   A new shot of colder air will start to move into the northern Midwest by Saturday and will dive south Monday and Tuesday, carrying zero-degree cold as far south as Nashville. "That's the coldest air we've seen that far south in several years," said Hennen, the CNN meteorologist. 
   
   The cold air will kick off a new storm Sunday into Monday that could affect a number of high-profile NFL playoff games this weekend. 
   
   In Wisconsin, the Green Bay Packers will give a cold welcome to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, when temperatures could bottom out at -17. 
   
   But it will be relatively balmy Sunday in Cincinnati, where snow and rain are possible when the city's Bengals host the San Diego Chargers in another NFL playoff matchup. 
   
   Of course, while the players might not have a choice, fans don't have to brave the cold for either game. The big worries are for those who travel in the coming days. Authorities in New York, for example, said they may shut the Long Island Expressway if whiteout conditions make driving along the east-west highway too perilous. 
   
   Kevin Willims isn't taking any chances, nor is he predicting a world-ending storm. The New Yorker said he plans to sit tight and let Mother Nature do her thing. 
   
   "There's not much you can do," Willims said. "When it's snowing and these streets lock up, there's really nowhere you can go, so it's best to just stay in." 
   
   That sentiment was echoed by James Montford, who told CNN Boston affiliate WHDH that he is looking forward to creating some art in the comforts of home. 
   
   "This a great day to kind of hunker down," Montford said. ||||| Alexus Laster walks through snow in Buffalo on the way to church on Dec. 26, 2013. More snow is forecast over the next few days. (Photo11: Sharon Cantillon, AP) Story Highlights Chicago will pick up 6-8 inches over the next couple of days 
   
   Blowing and drifting snow expected in New York City on Thursday 
   
   After the snow, some of the coldest air in years will spread over the Northeast 
   
   A major winter storm could complicate the first post-New Year's Day back to work and school for millions in New England and beyond. 
   
   The storm, predicted to affect the USA from the upper Midwest to the East Coast from Wednesday through Friday, is expected to bring the heaviest snow across southern New England on Thursday and early Friday. 
   
   "Over a foot of snow will fall in localized areas of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut and the cities of Hartford, Conn., Providence, R.I., and Boston," predicted AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski. Lesser amounts, in the 6- to 12-inch range, are likely in northeastern Pennsylvania, in New Jersey and in southeastern New York state. 
   
   This includes all of New York City, where the National Weather Service is warning that the storm's strong winds will cause blowing and drifting snow later Thursday. In anticipation of the storm, the weather service placed the entire New York City area under a winter storm watch for Thursday and Friday. A winter storm watch means there is potential for significant snow accumulations that may affect travel. 
   
   The weather service on Wednesday warned that several inches are possible through early Friday along the Interstate 90 corridor from Chicago to Boston. 
   
   Calling all weather photos: Sunsets, snowfall - We want to see your photos 
   
   Dot Joyce, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino's press secretary, said city officials were monitoring the storm, but that it was too early to say whether students' first day back to school, slated for Friday, would be canceled. "We are New Englanders — we get snow and we get cold weather and we're hardy," she said. 
   
   Boston teachers are due back Thursday, and Joyce expects "a regular city work day," since the storm is not expected to bring snow "in earnest" until after 4 p.m., she said. 
   
   Snow will also fall on Wednesday across portions of the Midwest and the Great Lakes. The heaviest snow will fall mainly in northern Illinois, northern Indiana, southern Michigan and southern Ohio. 
   
   Chicago could see as much as 6-8 inches of snow from late Tuesday through late Thursday, which WGN meteorologist Tom Skilling says will arrive "in waves rather than a single stretch." 
   
   The Weather Channel has named the storm "Hercules" as part of its winter storm naming system. 
   
   Meanwhile, the weather service said, rain — at times heavy — will push through the Southeast. 
   
   The Winter Classic outdoor NHL hockey game in Ann Arbor, Mich., between the Maple Leafs and Red Wings, was played in snowy conditions Wednesday. 
   
   Arctic chill will also still be a concern on Wednesday, as the "bitter cold will continue over the Northern Plains and upper Midwest, with temperatures running as much as 20 to 30 degrees below normal," the weather service predicted. 
   
   So far this month, International Falls, Minn., has endured eight days when the temperature has dropped below minus-30 degrees, which is a record, according to meteorologist Cory Mottice of AccuWeather Enterprise Solutions. 
   
   Some of the coldest air in years will roar into the Northeast after the snowstorm departs Friday, according to AccuWeather meteorologist Bernie Rayno. "This is likely to be the coldest weather for much of the Northeast since January 2009," Rayno said. 
   
   Lows in cities such as Philadelphia, New York and Baltimore will drop into the single digits Friday night. 
   
   Contributing: Greg Toppo
target: – Mother Nature isn't making it an easy transition back to work in the new year, throwing a whole lot of snow, whipping winds, and freezing temperatures at commuters in the Northeast this week. As much as a foot of snow is expected in New England and New York today into tomorrow; more is expected in Boston, which will see "near blizzard" conditions, CNN reports, and Philadelphia and southern New Jersey could see 3 to 7 inches. "The wind is going to whip around the snow and reduce the visibility, creating near-blizzard conditions" through much of the Northeast, one meteorologist tells NBC News. Some 900 US flights are already cancelled today alone, as temperatures fall to highs just above zero in some areas, the National Weather Service said, per the AP. "There will be travel problems," a meteorologist said. "It will be very cold." Adds another, the snowstorm, dubbed "Hercules" by the Weather Channel, could stretch into parts of the Midwest, USA Today reports. "Falling and blowing snow with strong winds and poor visibilities are likely," particularly in NY and Long Island, the Weather Service said, per CNN. "This will lead to whiteout conditions making travel extremely dangerous. Do not travel."