Alaska Airlines Cancels Flights As East Coast Braces For "Megastorm" Sandy

UPDATE: 2:29 p.m., 10/28/12

Alaska Airlines just posted the following message regarding canceled flights in the wake of Hurricane Sandy on its Facebook page:

Hurricane Sandy Update: Due to forecasted conditions, we've canceled a select number of flights to Boston, Newark and Washington DC today. All flights to Boston, Newark, Philadelphia and Washington DC have been canceled for tomorrow.

Customers traveling to these destinations are urged to check flight status before heading to the airport. Additionally, if your flight has been canceled or you wish to change your travel plans, you can do so at our website. Learn more: http://bit.ly/Tllh4m

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ORIGINAL STORY

The other end of the country is bracing for what weather experts are calling a "megastorm" in Hurricane Sandy.

(Click here to get a live, overhead view of Hurricane Sandy)

The storm is expected to threaten some 50 million people on the Eastern Seaboard, including tens of thousands of residents who've been evacuated from some of the country's most populated areas, the Associated Press is reporting via the Huffington Post.

New York City announced its subways, buses and trains would stop running Sunday night because of the risk of flooding, and its 1.1 million-student school system would be closed on Monday. Mayor Michael Bloomberg also ordered the evacuation of part of lower Manhattan and other low-lying neighborhoods.

"If you don't evacuate, you are not only endangering your life, you are also endangering the lives of the first responders who are going in to rescue you," he said. "This is a serious and dangerous storm."

Several businesses in New York City, for example have closed their doors, and won't reopen until midweek, including Patch's headquarters.

Facebook user Sona wrote this:

Scene at REI in SoHo earlier today: Couple people fighting for rain boots, batteries and flashlights gone. Be careful out there, NY!

As expected, the storm's approach has forced the cancellation of thousands of flights, the AP is reporting.

Patch users - are you or is anyone you know on the East Coast right now? If yes, what are you seeing? What's the scene like? Tell us in the comments below.