Update: Six states buried in more than two feet of snow from historic blizzard of 2013
Update: Blizzard with up to three feet of snow set to pound the Northeast
The biggest winter storm to hit the Northeast U.S. in at least two years is forecast in potentially historic fashion.
The National Weather Service says many areas could receive up to one to more than two feet of snow from Friday into Saturday.
The excessive amount of snow will be whipped about in strong winds in excess of 50 to 70 mph, creating blizzard conditions across eastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island, central and eastern Connecticut and Long Island, N.Y.
Some of the cities that could be hardest hit include Boston and Worcester, Mass.; New York City; Hartford, CT.; Providence, R.I.; Concord and Portsmouth, N.H.; and Portland, Maine. These cities are more likely than not to receive at least a foot of snowfall with the storm.
Areas as far south as Trenton in central New Jersey and Reading in southeastern Pennsylvania, could receive up to 10 inches of snowfall depending on the exact track of the storm system.
This has the potential to be a top 10 snowstorm or all-time record-breaking snowstorm in Boston. Consistent forecast computer model data has been indicating 20 to 30 inches of snowfall for the city.
According to the NWS, in records dating to 1892, there have been only six snowstorms of 20 inches or more in Boston, topped by the Feb. 17-18, 2003 snowstorm with 27.5 inches and the infamous "Blizzard of '78" with 27.1 inches.
A snow total of at least 18.2 inches from this coming storm would place it in the top 10 list for Boston.
Winter storm and blizzard warnings cover nearly all of the Northeast states including New York, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and much of Maine.
At the height of the storm, which is expected to occur Friday night into early Saturday, the NWS said snow could fall at a rate of two to four inches per hour and may be accompanied by thunder and lightning.
Downed power lines, widespread blackouts, and inaccessible roads are all possibilities with a storm of this magnitude.
"Travel may become nearly impossible with blowing and drifting snow," the NWS said for Friday night.
An Alberta clipper is expected to spread a swath of moderate to heavy snow on the order of six to around a foot of snow from portions of eastern Wisconsin across central Michigan through noon Friday.
This system with combine with an strengthening surface low pressure area that will be coming up the U.S. East Coast from the south to induce the powerful winter storm and blizzard over the Northeast by Friday afternoon and lasting through Saturday.
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