A historic blizzard is threatening to cripple New York, dumping what could be up to three feet of snow. 

"This could be a storm like the likes of which we have never seen before," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said. "I want everyone to understand that we are facing -- most likely -- one of the largest snowstorms in the history of this city," he added.

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The snow, expected to hit northern New Jersey, will come along with freezing rain and strong winds that could possibly reach hurricane level. De Blasio told New Yorkers not to underestimate the storm, as he reminded the public to prepare and take all necessary precautions.

In his Twitter account, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo urged commuters to stay home on Monday, when Snow is expected to reach as much as four inches an hour. Major roads will also be closed ahead of the evening commute.

Cuomo's tweet urged New York residents to "put safety first" and prepare for the storm.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a blizzard warning for parts of New York, all the way to Downeast Maine, including the cities of Boston, Providence, Hartford and Portland. In its website, the NWS said roads are expected to be impassable, making them extremely dangerous for travel. The public is also advised to stay home, as strong  winds may topple trees and down power lines.

Airlines have also taken action and had been canceling flights. Delta had canceled 600 flights following the blizzard warning for the East Coast. Southwest Airlines had also canceled about 20 flights, while American Airlines had so far canceled a few.

Transportation officials urged travelers to postpone their trips if possible. Emergency kits are a must, if travel is necessary, the officials said.

Boston is expected to get as much as 24 inches of snow, while New York is predicted to be hit hard with snowfall of up to 30 inches.

Residents in heavily populated cities were seen rushing to stores, to stock up on snow supplies.

A lot of people have been stocking up on items such as shovels and rock salt, according to Michael Harris, an employee at an Ace Hardware branch in Wading River, New York.

Several government agencies have also placed their snowplows and snowblowers on standby.

The storm, which brewed late Saturday, is predicted to head to the central Appalachians, very slowly traversing its way through the Northeast states. It is expected to reach the Gulf of Maine late Tuesday. 

New York City recorded its biggest snowfall in February  2006, which dumped  26.9 inches of snow.

Tagshistoric blizzard, snowstorm, U.S. East Coast, Bill de Blasio, Andrew Cuomo, New York blizzard