Blizzard live updates: Snow totals top 2 feet as wind gusts reach 80 mph

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul cautioned residents of her state on Sunday afternoon, saying they are experiencing the "calm before the storm."

"The worst is yet to come," Hochul said at a news conference. "Lives are at stake."

Hochul said New York City could be in store for one of the "top 10 worst winter storms in the last 150 years."

The Hudson Valley, New York City and Long Island are expected to receive wet snow, which has the ability to take down power lines, the governor said.

"Long Island and New York City and lower Hudson Valley are literally in the direct eye of the storm," Hochul said.

Hochul warned that subway service in New York City could see "some disruptions" due to the storm. Subways are expected to continue running throughout the storm, but mostly on local tracks.

Metro North train service will run on a weekend schedule and Long Island Rail Road commuter train service is expected to be suspended at 1 a.m. on Monday.

"There is no way these predictions are wrong," Hochul said. "It is coming, and it's going to be hard felt."

-ABC News' Victoria Arancio

The Long Island Rail Road announced it will suspend service systemwide beginning at 1 a.m. Monday due to the expected blizzard conditions.

"The Long Island Rail Road is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, carrying approximately 250,000 customers each weekday on 947 daily trains," according to New York's Metro Transit Authority.

New Jersey Transit similarly announced that it will suspend its bus and light rail commuter service beginning at 6 p.m. Sunday.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced earlier Sunday that roads in the city, including highways and bridges, would be "closed to all vehicles," including cars, trucks, scooters and e-bikes, beginning at 9 p.m. through noon on Monday in anticipation of the blizzard, except for "essential and emergency trips."

Mamdani also declared a local state of emergency due to the blizzard, including cancelling school Monday.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a disaster declaration for the state ahead of Sunday's blizzard.

"I just signed a disaster declaration ahead of this evening's storm — making sure our state agencies have every resource they need to prepare and keep people safe," Shapiro wrote on X.

"As snow is expected to intensify this evening, avoid unnecessary travel and follow instructions from @PEMAHQ, @PennDOTNews, @PAStatePolice, and your local officials," Shapiro further wrote.

Conditions are expected to begin to worsen in the Philadelphia area later today, the governor said in a press conference Sunday afternoon.

Shapiro asked people to stay off the roads and also to stay indoors during the storm, which forecasters expect to dump between 12 and 18 inches on Philadelphia and coastal areas.

-ABC News' Victoria Arancio