AccuWeather.com

By Katie Storbeck, Meteorologist

Dec 26, 2010; 8:56 AM ET

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Jasper, Tenn., had a white Christmas as a winter storm rolled through on Saturday, Dec. 25, 2010. (Photo submitted by AccuWeather Facebook Fan Teri)

A storm system off the Northeast Coast will unleash a paralyzing blizzard along a vast swath of the I-95 corridor today.

The storm is no joke and threatens to shut down major highways in the region and could close some major airports, creating a nightmare for those souls heading home after the Christmas holiday.

People will get stranded on highways and at airports in this storm.

Travel in parts of the mid-Atlantic and New England will become difficult to impossible as the storm sidles northward, intensifying into Monday. Meteorologists refer to this type of a storm as a "bomb," due to crashing atmospheric pressure and resultant increasing winds.

Heavy wind-whipped snow will plaster a swath from eastern North Carolina to Maine, New Brunswick and eastern Quebec.

Roads will quickly become snow covered and slippery as the storm arrives. Screaming winds gusting past 40 mph at times will soon accompany the snow after it begins. Blowing and drifting snow will create an uphill battle for crews working keep the streets clear during the height of the storm and in its wake for a time.

White-out conditions at times will pose an additional threat to the motorists that brave the elements.

Those planning to head out in the wicked winter weather will run the risk of becoming stranded, and should be sure to take along extra layers, blankets and food.

With a number of the nation's busy airport hubs affected by the storm, delays, cancellations and corresponding travel headaches could radiate across the nation as the holiday weekend wraps up.

Airlines have already preemptively canceled hundreds of today's flights through the region.

Blizzard conditions will first develop in the zone from Atlantic City, N.J. to Philadelphia area.

New York City, Providence, R.I., Boston and Portland, Maine will get the worst of the blizzard, as the weekend draws to a close. More than a foot of snow could bury cities and towns in this zone through tonight.

Much less snow and storm intensity is in store for the Baltimore-Washington, but conditions will worsen substantially as you head east of these locations. Even a coating to an inch of snow at these temperatures can lead to dangerous icy conditions.

Into Monday, the fierce snowstorm will continue wreaking havoc along the New England Coastline and Atlantic Canada. The storm's winds could knock out power in spots as it roars northward.

As the storm heads northward, heavy snow and gusty winds will bend westward into the Hudson Valley of New York. It appears Albany will get their blizzard after all, as will western Massachusetts and much of Vermont and New Hampshire.