DTW flights affected by upcoming east coast blizzard

Some flights into and out of Detroit Metro Airport have been cancelled Friday as much of the east coast prepares for a massive snowstorm.

Thousands of flights across the country have already been cancelled as a result of the storm that has not even hit yet. At DTW, 35 flights have already been cancelled as last check.

The Detroit area is not expected to get any snow from the story, but the flight cancellations are due to the ripple effect for places that are expecting as much as two feet of snow.

Communities in the storm's path have already issued weather advisories and blizzard warnings. Ground and air travel is expected to come to a halt in those area.

American Airlines grounded its flights in Charlotte, Washignton, D.C., and the Baltimore area. United has suspended its flights also in the affected areas. At DTW, FOX 2's Robin Murdoch reports Delta has many of its flights cancelled heading to the area. As many as 200,000 travelers are expected to be impacted by the travel delays and cancellations.

The National Weather Service says the blizzard expected to hit the east coast could rank near the top 10 ever to hit the region. Meteorologist Paul Kocin with the service's Weather Prediction Center says snowfall as heavy as 1 to 3 inches an hour could continue for 24 hours or more in the area. That puts estimates at more than 2 feet for Washington, a foot to 18 inches for Philadelphia and 8 inches to a foot in New York.

Five states and the District of Columbia have declared states of emergency ahead of the slow-moving system. The federal government announced Thursday night that its offices would close at noon Friday.

This is a developing story. Stay with FOX 2 for updates.

This report contains information from The Associated Press.