Winter storm: Snow and extreme cold to sweep across Midwest and Northeast Friday | CNN

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Heavy snow is expected to hammer the Northeast on Friday, triggering emergency protocols in several areas as officials warn the dire conditions could make for a travel nightmare.

More than 100 million people, nearly 30% of the US population, are under winter weather alerts across the Pacific Northwest, Northern Plains, Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast. This comes on the heels of extreme winter conditions over the past week that have killed at least 55 people across 10 states, primarily in the Pacific Northwest and South.

Snowfall is expected to spread to the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast by Friday morning.

Overall, between 1 and 3 inches of additional snow are possible from the Great Lakes to the East Coast. But parts of the Appalachians and a few areas closer to the coast may see totals approach half a foot by the time snowfall ends Friday night.

Philadelphia could see 4 to 6 inches of snow while New York City is expecting 2 to 3 inches, according to the National Weather Service. The heaviest snow for those areas should begin to subside by late Friday.

New York City officials issued a travel advisory for Friday, warning of low visibility and possible travel delays. Meanwhile, Philadelphia officials anticipate the storm is the city’s first major snow event in nearly two years.

Farther north, the lake effect snow that’s been hammering the Buffalo, New York, area is also expected to weaken significantly by Friday – though its impacts are expected to linger through the weekend. Buffalo could see an additional 3 inches pile on the heavy snow it has already received.

The heaviest snow, up to 8 inches, could fall in the southern shores of the Great Lakes region, including Cleveland, Ohio, and Erie, Pennsylvania.

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The grim forecast has prompted officials to activate emergency protocols in response to what could be several inches of snow across a large swath of the US.

A snow emergency will go into effect in Philadelphia beginning 7 a.m. Friday, the city announced.

“If you look at the forecast maps, it looks like we are the bullseye for this event,” Philadelphia’s Managing Director Adam Thiel said in a Thursday news conference. “We need you to take this seriously. If you don’t have to be on the roads, don’t be on the roads.”

The city is preparing by cleaning and treating roads, officials said. In addition, more than 400 pieces of equipment are ready to assist in the response, according to Carlton Williams, who serves as commissioner for the city’s Streets Department.

The winter storm is anticipated to persist until Friday evening and will continue to lengthen, Thiel said.

Philadelphia’s central offices and schools will also be closed Friday with remote learning in place, officials said during the news conference.

In New York City, emergency management officials have warned the Friday evening commute could be impacted by the storm.

“No impacts are anticipated for the morning commute, but snow and slush-covered roads alongside low visibility are likely for the evening commute, resulting in travel delays,” the city’s emergency management said in a news release.

As snow and cold temperatures blanket New York, outreach teams plan to canvass the city’s five boroughs to help provide shelter to those experiencing homelessness, the city said.

In nearby New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy extended the state of emergency as the state is expecting to collect between 3 and 6 inches of snow.

“It appears that mother nature is making up for some lost time,“ Murphy said during a conference Thursday evening. “After a couple of years with hardly any snowfall in New Jersey, today, we are headed for our second snowstorm of the week.”

Murphy warned that by early Friday morning, the snow could melt into slush or turn to ice, making for a dangerous Friday night commute. Morning commute could also be affected, according to the National Weather Service.

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State officials are also expected to issue a commercial vehicle ban at 3 a.m. Friday in coordination with Pennsylvania state officials, said Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, the commissioner of New Jersey Department of Transportation. The order will not apply to the New Jersey Turnpike, Garden City Parkway and Atlantic City Expressway.

West Virginia is also under a state of emergency ahead of the winter storm, according to a news release from the governor’s office.

On the West Coast, the entire state of Oregon is under a state of emergency due to the ongoing severe ice storm, the governor announced Thursday in a statement on social media.

“Thousands of people across the state have been impacted by the storm, including power outages, lack of transportation, and an array of safety concerns that come with severe weather,” Gov. Tina Kotek said in the statement.

“The state has been working with counties as they assess needs, including critical federal resources that can be unlocked by a statewide emergency,” Kotek said.

As of late Thursday, more than 97,000 homes and businesses in Oregon were experiencing power outages, according to the tracking site PowerOutage.us.

Oregon and Washington state could see additional ice accumulation up to a half inch through Friday. Snowfall up to 6 inches is also possible, with the heaviest snow expected in high elevations and interior Washington through Friday.