As a massive and dangerous winter storm closed in on the mid-Atlantic and parts of the South, residents in states like Maryland, New York, Tennessee and the Carolinas were warned to “hunker down” and stay indoors.
The National Weather Service tweeted that “the real teeth” of the storm would take place after midnight through Saturday afternoon, adding that residents in affected areas could expect “heavy snow, increasing winds and lightning threat.”
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CNN reports that along the Southeast, nearly 127,000 are without power while more than 7,000 flights have been canceled up and down the East Coast. Power outages have been abundant, and sadly, four people in North Carolina were reportedly killed in weather-related accidents.
Via Twitter, the Tennessee State Patrol pleaded with drivers to avoid highways.
"If you are thinking about going out for a Friday night on the town DON'T! We are desperately asking you please DON'T DRIVE. #STAYN,” it wrote.
If you are thinking about going out for a Friday night on the town DON'T! We are desperately asking you please DON'T DRIVE. #STAYN
— TN Highway Patrol (@TNHighwayPatrol) January 22, 2016