Many thought we had completely skipped winter this year, but now that spring is here, a powerful nor'easter is working its way up the East Coast.

By the time it's all over nine states will be drenched, and several others will be covered in snow.

May is only a week away, but forecasters are predicting up to a foot of snow for the higher elevations of Pennsylvania and New York and a winter storm warning was issued in parts of Northeast Ohio.

Many trees already have leaves, thanks to an early spring. Forecasters say that could result in many downed trees and power outages because they will catch more snow and break.

Residents in those areas say they're stocking up on supplies and then getting off the roads.

The late winter blast caps off an unusual winter season that kicked off early in the north with a pre-Halloween snowstorm. Then many parts of the country saw record-breaking heat for the season.

Still, residents say they've come to expect this sort of thing. Western New York has seen snow as late as the first week in May.

But while the storm is not unprecedented, it still leaves many wishing for it to end.

"I put it down to the impetuous nature of spring but I'm willing the hot weather back again," Lydia Lang, a Pittsburgh resident, said.

If it's not snow, it's high winds and heavy rain for the rest of the East Coast, and lots of it. From Florida to New England storms are delivering up to seven inches of rain.

And while the rain may be inconvenient it's much needed. Some areas have had a rainfall deficits since March 1.

"We're down 7 or 8 inches, this won't completely wipe out the deficit but it will certainly help," National Weather Service forecaster Charlie Foley said.

Wind is also a major factor in this storm system. Some areas are seeing gusts up to 50 miles per hour.