Winter Storm Nemo: Blizzard Warnings And Flight Cancellations In Effect For New York, New Jersey And Coastal Maine [LIVE BLOG]

UPDATE [7:50 P.M.]Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick issued an executive order banning motor-vehicle travel in the state, beginning Friday at 4 p.m. EST until further notice. The order covers all motorists, except for government officials conducting official business, health-care employees who must travel to provide essential services, news-media workers, public-safety and public-works employees, utility workers, and certain others providing similar critical services.

UPDATE [6:35 P.M.]Almost 5,000 airline flights were canceled Friday because of the so-called winter storm Nemo, and similar problems at U.S. Northeast airports are expected to continue Saturday. Nearly all airports in the New England-New York area were at a standstill Friday as of 4 p.m. EST, USA Today reported.

UPDATE [4:35 P.M.]New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo declares state of emergency due to storm.

UPDATE [2:55 P.M.]New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is scheduled to speak at a news conference about Nemo at 3:30 p.m. ET. You can watch it here. http:/

UPDATE [1:30 P.M.] New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg: "Many of the same communities that were inundated by Hurricane Sandy... are likely to see some moderate coastal flooding."

UPDATE [1:25 P.M.] More than 4,000 flights canceled in the Northeast, as a massive winter storm approaches the region.

UPDATE [1:20 P.M.] Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy declares a state of emergency.

UPDATE [12:35 P.M.] Mayor Bloomberg will be holding a press conference at 1 p.m. ET at the New York City Office of Emergency Management headquarters regarding the impending winter storm. 

As winter storm Nemo closes in on the eastern U.S., forecasters suggest that the worst of the weather system could hit Boston, from about 5 p.m. Friday until Saturday morning. Total measurements for the area are estimated at around 2 feet of snow.

Nemo is also expected to make its way over to New York, where the heaviest snow is expected to start falling at around 7 p.m. Friday.

Blizzard warnings are in effect from coastal Maine to northern New Jersey, including Portland, Maine, Boston, Hartford, Providence, to the New York City metro area and Long Island.

The heaviest snow totals by early Sunday morning are expected in New England from coastal Maine to Connecticut, as well as parts of upstate New York, where 1 to 2 feet of snow is expected!

Some locations, particularly in coastal New England, may approach, or even exceed 3 feet snow total, the National Weather Service reports.  

Airlines have also canceled more than 2,700 Friday flights in New York and Boston, as both cities prepare for Nemo.

Check this live blog for regular real-time updates on winter storm Nemo.