UPDATE | Jan. 24

Qatar Airways has now canceled some flights through Monday, Jan. 25 due to “significant operational challenges in the Northeast region of the United States.” More information can be found here.

A massive snowstorm on the East Coast of the US has prompted Qatar’s national carrier to cancel some of its flights today.

An airline spokesperson confirmed to Doha News that outbound flights from Doha to New York, Philadelphia and Washington D.C. have been canceled today (Jan. 23). Flights heading from those cities back to Doha today have also been canceled.

Officials in the US have been warning people to stay indoors ahead of the record-breaking storm, which began last night. Many on the East Coast are bracing for power losses and coastal flooding, according to the New York Times.

The newspaper added:

“Governors in at least 10 states declared states of emergency, and travel was disrupted in at least five major airport hubs, with 6,300 flights canceled on Friday and Saturday and 4,675 more delayed.”

The snowstorm is expected to last around 36 hours.

Beyond today

Qatar Airways flights to and from the East Coast have not been canceled tomorrow, but the spokesperson said that remains a possibility.

“We will know more as the storm develops,” she said, adding that customers are asked to contact Qatar Airways for rebooking options.

Gulf carriers Etihad and Emirates also appear to have canceled their flights to the East Coast today.

For those who wish to watch the storm in action, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan has set up a live stream from his balcony at the US Capitol (which appears dark at the moment because it is nighttime in Washington).

Thoughts?