States in the northeastern US were hit by a powerful winter storm on Monday morning, causing massive disruption in New York City and other major urban areas.

Winter storm warnings and weather advisories were put in place in advance, with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declaring a state of emergency and suspending public bus and commuter rail services for the entire day.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio imposed restrictions on non-essential travel from early morning due to the heavy snowfall.

Schools in the city were also closed and officials had to reschedule appointments for coronavirus vaccinations, according to the mayor. 

"There's going to be tremendous danger and difficulty getting around on Monday," de Blasio said, urging the elderly to stay at home. "The last thing we want to do is urge our seniors to come out in the middle of a storm like this."

The National Weather Service has predicted snow depths of up to 60 centimeters (2 feet) in major metropolitan areas. 

If the storm reaches its full potential, the service said, it could prove more extreme than a record-breaking 2016 blizzard that dumped 70 centimeters on the city.

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency in the city and in nine other counties due to the storm.

"This storm is no joke and the main concern right now is that the expected snowfall rate… creates an extremely dangerous situation on our roadways," Cuomo said.

The blizzard has already prompted President Joe Biden to postpone his visit to the US State Department's headquarters, located near the White House in Washington. 

dj,rc/nm (AP, Reuters)