The blizzard has knocked out power to at least 215,000, grounded more than 8,800 flights, and has been blamed for 10 deaths.

At least 50 million people are in the path of a paralyzing winter storm that prompted the cancellation of thousands of flights, closed government offices, and threatens Washington with one of its worst snowfalls on record.

A blizzard watch has been posted from Virginia to Long Island, including Washington and New York, for a storm that threatens to bring high winds and heavy snow starting Friday.

The odds are good a winter storm will bring the first heavy snow from Washington to Boston starting Friday, forecasters said.

The East Coast has been spoiled.

Brace yourself, U.S. South. The Mississippi River is coming, and so are the Arkansas, the Red, the Ohio and the Missouri.

El Nino is expected to affect temperature and precipitation patterns across the U.S. in the upcoming months.

Hurricane Sandra threatens to strike Mexico over the weekend and pump moisture into the southern U.S. during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period.