Massive winter storm set to slam Northeast with heavy snow, strong winds

•Deadly cold: At least 12 people in the US have died this week in cold-related deaths, officials said. Six deaths were reported in Wisconsin, four in Texas, one in North Dakota and one in Missouri.

•The US Senate canceled voting on Thursday so lawmakers could leave ahead of the storm.

•Storm is snarling roads and air travel: More than 2,700 US flights on Thursday have been canceled, according to Flightaware.com. And over 90% of Thursday flights from LaGuardia Airport in New York City are canceled and American Airlines suspended all departures from Boston.

•Rare snow sightings: Parts of the Southeast saw ice-laden palm trees and snow-dusted beaches. For many, it was their first-ever sight of snow.

•Storm moves north: After the Southeast had freezing rain, sleet and snow on Wednesday, the specter of the storm led to school closures and left store shelves empty in Northeastern states.

In Connecticut, where the storm is expected to hit after midnight, Gov. Dan Malloy urged motorists to stay off roads if possible. The forecast calls for a minimum of six inches of snow and winds up to 50 mph, potentially hindering utility repairs should power lines go down.

"We cannot and will not order people up in trucks to fix lines when the winds are too high," Malloy said.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency and urged Virginians to prepare for the storm, which could dump up to a foot of snow in portions of eastern Virginia.

"The bitter cold that continues to plague the Commonwealth will be joined by a potentially significant winter storm which will blast Hampton Roads, the Northern Neck, Eastern Shore and other areas of Eastern Virginia with snowfall and blizzard-like conditions in some communities," McAuliffe said Wednesday.

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"With this forecast in mind, all Virginians should take the necessary precautions now to ensure they are prepared for the travel disruptions, power outages and other threats to health and safety that could arise during this significant weather event."

The bombogenesis will usher in another round of single-digit or subzero temperatures to the Northeast on Thursday.

In New York and Philadelphia, temperatures are expected to dip to 3 degrees this weekend.

New York City schools are closed Thursday and sanitation workers are getting ready to deploy 2,200 plows to help clear the streets as 4-6 inches of snowfall are expected. The snow, combined with "exceptionally strong winds," means crews will be working in near-whiteout conditions, New York City Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia said.

Boston could see minus 7 degree temperatures paired with about 12 inches of snow, forecasters say.

Gov. Charlie Baker said the greatest areas of concern are along the Plymouth County coast stretching from Sandwich to Dennis on Cape Cod.

Cities in the Southeast that rarely see snow turned into winter wonderlands as dozens of car crashes were reported and airports closed.

Runways at Charleston International Airport closed and the South Carolina Highway Patrol reported dozens of accidents as snow and sleet fell. In Georgia, the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport -- typically booming with tourists this time of year -- closed on Wednesday due to severe winter weather conditions.

In South Carolina, some areas had seen five to six inches of snow by Wednesday afternoon, requiring more than 13,000 tons of salt, Gov. Henry McMaster said.

Steady snowfall blanketed Charleston, recording at least 5.3 inches on Wednesday. It was the most snow the city has seen in one day since 1989 and the third-highest snowfall amount on record.

Amid the Instagram-worthy scenes, McMaster warned of dangerous conditions as evening temperatures were expected to remain below freezing through Monday. McMaster urged people to stay indoors as much as possible to minimize risk of injury.

Tallahassee, Florida, had not seen measurable snowfall since 1989, CNN meteorologist Michael Guy said.

The unusually frigid conditions in Florida led to the closures of Florida State University and Florida A&M University on Wednesday. They also forced the temporary closures of Orlando water parks and prompted authorities to open dozens of emergency shelters.