Powerful winter storm to blast US east coast with up to two feet of snow

Residents in north-east and mid-Atlantic regions braced for blizzard conditions as officials issue travel warnings

Residents and officials across the US north-east and mid-Atlantic regions were bracing on Friday for a powerful winter storm expected to produce blizzard conditions into Saturday.

Heavy snow and strong winds were forecast to begin in parts of the Carolinas and Appalachia on Friday evening, according to the National Weather Service. The system will then intensify and bring snowy conditions up the east coast to New England, where forecasters warned of localized snowfall totals of up to 20in and wind gusts of 50 to 60mph.