Blizzard with 'life and death implications' hits D.C., Mid-Atlantic

CNN)The nation's capital and Baltimore are taking a direct hit from a monster snowstorm with up to 85 million East Coast residents in its path.Here are the latest developments as of 8 p.m. ET:
--"The real teeth" of the storm will be after midnight through Saturday afternoon, the National Weather Service tweeted. "Heavy snow, increasing winds, lightning threat."
--Nearly 127,000 are without power across the Southeast, most of those in the Carolinas.
--Airports up and down the East Coast are at a standstill with more than 7,000 flights canceled.
--The storm has already proved deadly: Four people in North Carolina were killed in weather-related accidents.
Meteorologists have warned the public to take heed as some areas could receive between 18 and 30 inches.
"This is not a near miss," CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said. "This is a direct hit."
Here's how the storm is already affecting traffic, air travel, the power grid -- and a look at what's still to come.


Power outages

As the impact zone for the big storm widens as it moves north, power outage numbers are expected to soar.
By Friday evening, 126,435 customers were without power across the Southeast, with 110,000 of them in the Carolinas, according to Duke Energy.
Help was coming from near and far.

Story: CNN