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Winter Storm Jonas Leaves Thousands Stranded

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Washington -- So far, Winter Strom Jonas is living up to expectations as a walloping winter storm system.
 
As of early Saturday morning, more than 70 million people from Mississippi to Massachusetts remain under winter alerts.
 
"It's icy. I would definitely stay off if you can," warned a New Jersey man who ventured out in the cold.
 
The massive weather system made for dangerous driving in places like Rockcastle County, Kentucky, where it forced the closure of Interstate 75 and stranded more than 3,000 motorists.
 
While many were left feeling frustrated, a few others admitted to being a little excited.
 
"I've been waiting for this snow all year 'round so I can make some money this year and do some plowing!"
 
Weather forecasts show the possibility of wind gusts from 60 to 85 mph along the east coast, spawning fears of coastal flooding in Delaware, New Jersey, and New York City.
 
The blizzard-like weather has caused potentially deadly whiteout conditions in Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, and the Washington, D.C., which is expected to get more than 2 feet of snow.
 
CBN's Jennifer Wishon reports from Western Virginia, "the Shenandoah Valley and parts of northern Virginia are in part of the bull's eye of this storm. This is where snow totals are expected to approach three feet. Saturday wind gusts of 25 to 30 miles per hour  will combine with the snow to create white out conditions where the weight of the snow and high winds is putting folks in real danger of power outages."
 
Utility companies say more than 160,000 people from North and South Carolina to New Jersey have lost power. Additionally, several storm-related deaths have been reported in Virginia and North Carolina.
   
A near-tragic accident for had a happy ending for a dog named Milo in Fairfax Station, Va. Firefighters rescued the St. Bernard after it fell in a lake, where temperatures were below freezing and with a wind chill of 8 degrees.
 
The end is in sight according to weather forecasters. Winter Storm Jonas is expected to move out Sunday and give way to temperatures above freezing so the clean up and the dig out can begin.
 

 

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About The Author

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John
Jessup

John Jessup serves as the main news anchor for CBN, based at the network's news bureau in Washington, D.C. He joined CBN News in September 2003, starting as a national correspondent and then covering the Pentagon and Capitol Hill. His work in broadcast news has earned him several awards in reporting, producing, and coordinating election coverage. While at CBN, John has reported from several places, including Moore, Oklahoma, after the historic EF5 tornado and parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. He also traveled to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during the height