North-eastern US braced for snow in storm that could become 'bomb cyclone'

• This is the first big one' of winter, NWS meteorologist warns
• Road accidents and power outages reported in New England

The north-eastern US was braced for disruption on Saturday as the first big wintry storm of the season began dropping what forecasters said could be more than a foot of wet, heavy snow, making travel treacherous and cutting off power to thousands.

Gale warnings were in effect for the US coast north from the Carolinas. CNN reported that the storm could intensify fast enough to become a dramatically named bomb cyclone", a phenomenon characterised by a rapid pressure drop and increased precipitation and winds.