What to KnowThe NYC area is expecting 8 to 12 inches of snow as a winter storm slamming half the U.S. hits home, crippling travel. Parts of the Hudson Valley, could see 18+ inches.Freezing rain and sleet may limit totals in some areas near the city and south of it into New Jersey, though that’ll t urn into ice on the ground, thanks to the extreme cold.Snowfall rates could reach 2 inches an hour at times. Travel may be nearly impossible, with near-blizzard conditions expected for a swath of the region.States of emergency are in effect in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut along with nearly two dozen other states across the country. Transit is heavily disrupted.The snow began Sunday morning, and will continue through the rest of the day. NYC public school buildings will be closed tomorrow and classes are moving remote.Once the precipitation moves out, dangerous cold remains through at least next week. That means whatever snow falls will stick around. The monster winter storm that has impacted nearly half of the United States has descended on the tri-state area, threatening near-blizzard conditions and power outages as it dumps up to a foot of snow in the New York City area and up to 18 inches in parts of the Hudson Valley. Follow along below for the latest updates. Check out our live snow cams, too. ...read more read less