White Christmas Comes Early for Millions Across East Coast, Wreaking Havoc for Many

A white Christmas came early for millions of Americans overnight.

An epic storm blasted the East Coast with heavy snow, gusty winds, and showers of sleet, wreaking havoc on highways.

And it's not over yet. More than three feet of snow is expected in some places.

Winter Storm Gail stretching roughly 1,000 miles barreled into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Wednesday.

Cleanup crews have been hitting the roads while some car owners are likely spending the day getting in touch with their insurance companies about accidents on those icy roads.

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Two members of an EMS crew on the scene of an accident near Pittsburgh almost got hit when a pickup truck lost control on slippery ice.

"Here in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia - just a few hours west of the Capital Beltway - a steady snow fell throughout the day as temperatures hovered in the twenties," reports CBN's Jennifer Wishon from Woodstock, VA. "Residents here braced for snowfall totals of up to a foot or more."

Meanwhile, CBN's Caitlin Burke is in New Haven, Connecticut.

"Connecticut was forecast to get at least a foot or more of snow and that's about what we've got on the ground right now," she says. "It's still coming, and we are expecting a few more inches.

The nor'easter packed heavy snow with some areas seeing blizzard conditions.

"Parts of northern Pennsylvania and the southern tier of New York picking up 3 feet of snow, Johnson City, New York picking up 40 inches of snow," AccuWeather's Brittany Boyer tells CBN News.

The powerful storm created treacherous driving conditions in affected areas. On Interstate 80 near Clinton County, Pennsylvania, a 60-car pileup resulted in two deaths.

More than 1,300 flights were canceled and residents along the path were urged to stay off the roads today. "If you must travel, be sure you have an emergency supply kit for your vehicle and that it is up to date," Gov. Phil Murphy (D-NJ) says.

In Pennsylvania, the governor says his state was prepared to continue the distribution of the coronavirus vaccine despite the snowstorm.

While crews work around the clock to keep folks safe on the roads today, many are taking time in these parts to enjoy winter's first snowstorm.

"It's been a while since we've seen some snow as heavy as it's coming down," says Erika Folks, a Woodstock, VA, resident.