Preparing to battle the storm

The region braced for a major snowstorm Friday, and in advance of the first, falling flakes, government officials issued a plea to citizens: Please, stay the heck home.

Driving will only hamper efforts to clear the streets. And you might get stuck somewhere, a freezing front seat your overnight pillow.

"It will be a lot of snow, it will take place over a long period time," Mayor Nutter said. "Very challenging, for all of us."

Forecasts call for the immediate Philadelphia area to get 18 inches, with 24 inches at the Shore. The entire region, meteorologists warned, is in for a thumping.

"This is just about as perfect a setup as you could ever have in a storm," said Paul Kocin, a forecaster with National Weather Service, and a winter-storm expert.

Across the region, local governments prepped for battle, stocking enough salt to float an ocean and enough equipment to stock a showroom.

"This is our job," said Fran McCrory, spokeswoman for the New Jersey Department of Transportation. "It's what we have to do, and we'll be out there until done."

In Upper Darby, Township Engineer Fernando Baldivieso lamented the coming back-and-forth between plows and people: Residents shovel snow into the streets from their driveways. Passing plows push it back.

"It is just like we are playing a game," he said.

In Lower Merion, where schools closed early Friday, Director of Public Works Don Cannon said his crew of 50 would clear 250 miles of streets and 40 miles of state highways.

"Pretty much old hat," he said. "Not much changes in snow fighting."

Philadelphia officials declared a snow emergency as of 8 p.m. After that, any vehicle parked on a snow-emergency route would be ticketed and towed.

Nutter said all resources would be used to clear the streets and keep the city operating. Specifically, that included 600 workers, 340 pieces of equipment and 34,000 tons of salt.

"We are prepared, but we will need a lot of cooperation," he said, asking people to stay in their homes. "Stay warm, check on your neighbors - especially senior citizens."

The city's 311 information line, which fielded 2,400 calls in two days during the big December snowstorm, will operate until midnight Friday and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, though those hours may be extended. Other information is available on the city's snow hotline, 215-686-SNOW, and its website, www.phila.gov.

All city recreation centers will be closed Saturday, libraries will be closed for the duration of the snow emergency, and prisons have canceled weekend visitations.

Because there was plenty of advanced warning - and flights already canceled the day before - there was no chaos at Philadelphia International Airport Friday afternoon. By 4 p.m., 277 flights had been canceled - one-fourth of those scheduled.

Still, there were some travelers cutting it close as the snow approached.

Lori Anderson, 38, and her fiancé, Jim Coolen, 36, were seated directly under the board displaying departure and arrivals in the US Airways domestic terminal waiting for her flight home to Nashville to appear.

Anderson's Southwest Airlines flight had been canceled and her last chance to get to flight scheduled for after 6 p.m.

And if that flight was canceled, too?

"I guess I'll drive," she said. Actually, Coolen, of Philadelphia, would do the driving: 13 hours, and probably through a good portion of the storm.

Robert Lee, 27, had a US Airways flight home to Milwaukee canceled and was hoping to make it out on a Midwest Airlines flight scheduled to depart at 8:30 p.m. He originally was planning to fly out Saturday, but he rescheduled for Friday to beat the storm, or so he thought before he arrived at the airport. "Until I got here, my flight was still showing," he said.

Friday afternoon, a fuzzy white sun slowly faded to gray as people readied for the storm.

The Delaware River Port Authority was laying down a brine solution on the bridges. PATCO planned to begin operating under snow-schedule service at 6 p.m., with trains running every 15 minutes, later during the night hours. That schedule will continue until 5 a.m. Monday.

In Norristown, one group of residents couldn't wait for the snow:

"For the bisons, this is fun," said Bill Konstant, executive director of the Elmwood Park Zoo. "It is nice, brisk, cold weather, and they like to move around in the snow."

Otters love the stuff too, he said. Sometimes they create their own luge course, riding it into their water tank. The eagles have been known to spend snowy days outside, letting the snow accumulate on their heads like little hats.

The zoo will be closed Saturday, but staffers will be watching the animals, keeping many inside for safety and checking to be sure the storm does not bring down trees.

In New Jersey, blizzard conditions were expected along the southern shore. A blizzard warning is in effect until 7 Saturday night for Ocean, Cumberland, Atlantic, coastal Cape May and southeast Burlington Counties.

People ran last-minute errands to stock up on supplies.

At midday Friday, the crowd at Wine Legend in Cherry Hill was rush-hour-sized, said Manager Krishna Reddy, crediting a combination of the snow and the Super Bowl.

In the parking lot, Mike Bateman of Haddonfield loaded six-packs of beer into his SUV, anticipating his friends visiting to watch Sunday's game. He would have waited to buy beer, but knew the snow was coming.

"The party's happening either way," he said.

At the Sports Authority in Cherry Hill, the phone kept ringing, and each caller got the same answer: "Sorry, we're all out," the clerk said.

What did everyone want? Sleds.

AAA Mid-Atlantic advised people to avoid dangers on the roads and delays at airports by staying home. People who try to fly should prepare to sleep at the airport, and those who insist on driving should have blankets and food in their vehicles.

"A good weekend to stay put," said AAA Mid-Atlantic spokeswoman Tracy Noble.