Weather warnings are in effect Sunday from the northern border of Georgia to New England, and Environment Canada predicts the major winter storm moving up the coast will reach the Maritimes Monday.
Blizzard conditions are forecasted for northeast New Brunswick on Monday with heavy snow and winds of up to 100 kilometres an hour.
"In northeastern New Brunswick the winds are going to be much stronger and it's also going to be a fair bit cooler," Doug Mercer of Environment Canada told The Canadian Press Sunday.
"That'll make it easy for the snow to get aloft and basically they'll be getting near zero visibility and storm-force winds, so we're calling that one a blizzard warning."
A coastal surge is possible for New Brunswick's east coast, which was pounded last week by rain. Mercer said waves of up to six metres are a possibility and the surge could extend as far east as Pictou County in Nova Scotia and take in Prince Edward Island's north shore.
Emergency officials are warning drivers in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to be prepared to stay off the roads Monday.
The storm, which has moved in from the south, has been responsible for a rare white Christmas in parts of the U.S.
As the system moves through the U.S. on Sunday, parts of North Carolina will have received as much as 21 centimetres of snow -- the first Christmas snow in the state in two decades.
Several states to the U.S. south made emergency declarations as the storm caused crashes frigid highways. In Philadelphia, where a foot of snow is expected, NFL officials moved a Monday night game to Tuesday in anticipation of the storm.
The city has also declared a snow emergency.
"We are urging all Philadelphians, please be careful, please be safe," said Mayor Michael Nutter.
The storm is snaking its way up the East Coast Sunday morning, threatening to bring blizzards and 30 centimetres of snow to New York City, nearby New Jersey, and the New England states.
Airlines have grounded hundreds of flights Sunday along the Northeast corridor, at major airports including New York's JFK and Newark. More than 100 flights have been cancelled at Toronto's Pearson airport.
There have been cancellations in Montreal and Halifax, as well.
Airlines said more cancellations were likely as the storm progressed, and are warning post-Christmas travellers not to even try to get to the airport. Most airlines are waiving fees for one-time changes in the affected cities, and urging passengers to make their travel changes online.
As the day wears on, the storm will worsen with snowfall increasing at it moves north, with high winds and reduced visibility.
A true Nor'Easter, this storm will hit all the big cities on the east coast, including Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and Boston.
In Washington transportation officials pre-treated roads and readied 200 salt trucks, plows and other pieces of equipment.
Monday's warnings for Atlantic Canada
This powerful weather system is heading for Atlantic Canada Monday. Environment Canada has issued warnings of high winds and seas, heavy rain and snow, and even blizzard conditions. Precipitation is predicted to begin late Sunday and carry through Monday. Warnings include:
New Brunswick:
Blizzard conditions for the northeastern part of the province, with periods of near-zero visibility and heavy, blowing snow.
"The most difficult travel conditions will occur over northeastern parts of the province where a blizzard warning is posted," Environment Canada stated on its website.
The rest of the province can expect 20 to 30 of snow, and pounding surf in areas along the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Prince Edward Island:
Between 15 and 30 centimetres of snow and "elevated coastal water levels."
Nova Scotia:
Heavy rain or snow across the province, mainly rain in the southwest, while Halifax and Sydney could see a mix of 50 millimetres of rain and 20 centimetres of snow.
Cape Breton could see Winds gusting over 110 kilometres per hour, with high water levels and crashing surf in some coastal areas of Nova Scotia.
Newfoundland:
The southwestern corner of the province could see winds in the range of 100 to 150 kilometres an hour.
"This is a warning that potentially hazardous winds are expected in the Wreckhouse area of Southwestern Newfoundland. Monitor weather conditions," said Environment Canada.
