Snow as far as the eye can see (illustrative)
Snow as far as the eye can see (illustrative)Ben Waxman

A major winter storm struck the northeastern United States Thursday, closing schools and grounding thousands of flights.

Winter Storm warnings were issued in many counties from Maryland to Maine.

10-14 inches of accumulation are expected New York City, where the snow could fall at a rate as high as of two inches per hour. Boston is expected to have 12-18 inches of snow.

A blizzard warning was declared for all of Long Island, New York, until 6:00 PM Eastern Standard time.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday evening that city schools would be closed Thursday on his Twitter account.

More than 3,300 flights into and leaving northeastern airports were cancelled due to the inclement weather.

“Visibilities will become poor with whiteout conditions at times. Those venturing outdoors may become lost or disoriented,” the National Weather Service warned. “So persons in the warning area are strongly advised to stay indoors.”