US east coast braced for blizzard conditions and severe cold

Another winter storm, named Neptune, is taking aim at the US northeast, threatening blizzard conditions and severe cold in parts of New England already buried under six feet (1.8 m) of snow, forecasters said.

The latest storm was tracking east across the Great Lakes and is expected to gather strength as it approaches the Atlantic coast, spreading a blast of arctic air and snow from Virginia to southern Canada, the National Weather Service said.

The most severe weather was poised for the New England coast from Saturday into Sunday.

Boston, which has received about 6 feet (1.8 m) of snow in a trio of record-setting storms over the past three weeks, is bracing itself for as much as 14 inches (36 cm) of new snow.

Blizzard conditions are also expected in Rhode Island, eastern Connecticut, New Hampshire and coastal Maine.

Further south, snow accumulation of up to three inches (7.6 cm) was expected from Washington DC to New York City.

The system will also bring bitterly cold temperatures and wind gusts of up to 75 miles per hour (120 km/h), meteorologists said.

Reuters