- 14 minutes ago
- From the section US & Canada
A massive blizzard bringing more than 2ft (60cm) of snow and punishing winds is advancing up the US East Coast.
More than 50 million people across more than a dozen states have been warned to stay at home as it moves north.The nation's capital, Washington, could lie under a record 30in (76cm) of snow by the time the storm passes on Sunday.
Eight people have been killed, six states have declared states of emergency, and thousands of flights have been cancelled.
The weather system affects a huge swathe of the country, from Arkansas in the south to Massachusetts in the north-east.
Supermarkets ran out of food amid a rush for supplies before the first snowflakes fell on Friday.
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In summary:
- More than 6,000 flights have been cancelled for Friday and Saturday
- The US federal government closed down at noon on Friday
- President Barack Obama is to remain at the White House, officials said
- States of emergency have been declared in Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, and parts of other states
- Eight people have been killed in car crashes in Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky and elsewhere
- Washington's transport system - the second busiest in the US - will close all weekend
- Many events, including two sold-out concerts by singer Garth Brooks in Baltimore, have been postponed
Image copyright AP 
Image copyright AP 
Image copyright AFP It says winds of more than 50mph (80kph) coupled with heavy snow could cause possible power outages and create large snowdrifts.
Residents in the capital and surrounding suburbs in Virginia and Maryland have been warned the snowfall could eclipse the district's record of 28in that fell during a two-day period in 1922.
As the weather system approached the country's most populous city, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio urged residents to be ready.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a Republican presidential candidate, returned from the campaign trail in New Hampshire to take charge of snow preparation.
At the scene: Laura Bicker, BBC News, Washington
The US capital feels like a city in hiding. Residents have been told to find a safe place and stay there until the storm has passed. The streets are empty and restaurants, bars and supermarkets remain closed.Public transport is at a standstill and over 6,000 flights have been delayed or cancelled. Officials warned anyone trying to travel in the blizzard risks getting stuck for hours, marooned or killed.
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Supermarket shelves in many areas were laid bare. In Baltimore, shopper Sharon Brewington remembered how she and her daughter were left with just noodles and water when the last big snowstorm struck in 2010.
"I'm not going to make that mistake again," she said.
National Weather Service director Louis Uccellini said the system had "the potential of being an extremely dangerous storm that could affect over 50 million people".
Do you live on the US east coast? How are you preparing for the blizzard? Or do you live somewhere else in the world that receives a lot of snow? If so, how do you prepare? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your comments.
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