What a difference a day makes! Schools closed, more than 3,000 flights cancelled as huge storm dumps up to a FOOT of snow in the Northeast... just hours after basking in record high February temperatures

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A powerful, fast-moving storm swept through the northeastern U.S. early Thursday, making for a slippery morning commute and leaving some residents bracing for blizzard conditions and more than a foot of snow.

Commuters in the densely populated region awoke to windblown snow - less than 24 hours after enjoying spring-like temperatures - and faced slick highways. 

Forecasters said Thursday's weather had the potential to be the most powerful storm that some areas have seen in a mostly snow-free winter.  

A man walks through New York City's Times Square Thursday morning, in the middle of a snow storm 

New York City is expected to receive eight to twelve inches of snow in the fast-moving storm. Above, a woman crosses a snow-covered street in Brooklyn Heights on Thursday

A worker clears snow on the Brooklyn Promenade Thursday morning, in the middle of a snow storm 

Commuters bundled up in their thickest winter coats, beanies and boots to make the trek from the Bronx into Manhattan on Thursday 

A fast-moving storm is causing travel chaos for the morning commute in the Northeast. Above, the view near the Holland Tunnel in New Jersey Thursday morning. The tunnel connects New Jersey to Manhattan 

Forecasters predict New York City could see eight to 12 inches of snow. Above, Astor Place in New York City on Thursday 

The weather was quite a change from Wednesday, when New York City experienced record breaking 62-degree heat. Above, men walk the streets in short-sleeved t-shirts yesterday

All public schools in New York City, Philadelphia and Boston have been closed today and the weather is causing a bit of travel chaos too. 

More than 3,000 flights have been cancelled for the day, in addition to nearly 3,000 delays. Nearly 1,700 of those cancellations were at New York City's three major airports.  

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey says Newark International has the most cancellations with 607 as of 6:30am Thursday, followed by 572 at LaGuardia and 508 at JFK for a total of 1,687 flights. 

Conditions were slightly slushier in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday morning 

Schools were also cancelled in Philadelphia Thursday morning. Above, a woman carries her two dogs in a car during the storm on Thursday 

A person walks in the snow with an umbrella as winter storm conditions begins during the early morning on February 9, 2017 in Philadelphia, PA

Pedestrians maneuver the slush and snow in New York's Times Square during the morning commute on Thursday 

Vehicles on Interstate 278 drive in the snow during the morning rush hour on February 9, 2017 in New York City. Following a day of 60 degree temperatures, New York City is expected to receive significant snowfall throughout the day on Thursday

The agency says that's roughly 50 per cent of the daily flights at the three airports. The majority of flights have also been canceled at Philadelphia International Airport.

State offices were closed in New Jersey, and government offices in the Delaware, Bucks, Chester and Montgomery counties outside Philadelphia were shuttered Thursday. 

The storm has the potential to be the most powerful storm that some areas have seen in a mostly snow-free winter.

The National Weather Service predicted that the Boston area and eastern Maine could get 12 to 18 inches of snow, and a blizzard warning has been issued for all of Long Island until 6 p.m., New York City could see 8 to 12 inches and the Philadelphia area 4 to 8 inches. 

A Port Authority of New York and New Jersey truck plows snow near the Holland Tunnel approach during a snowstorm on Thursday  in Jersey City, New Jersey

Vehicles are seen at the toll bridge of the Holland Tunnel as snow covers the road during a snowstorm on Thursday in Jersey City, New Jersey

Near whiteout conditions are possible, with the snow expected to fall at a clip of 2 to 4 inches per hour at its peak.  

Officials also are warning of high winds, coastal flooding and power outages. 

The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for all of Long Island until 6pm Thursday. A similar warning was issued for Massachusetts' Cape Cod and parts of Boston's South Shore through 8pm. 

Thunderstorm has already been reported in Upstate New York and experts say that the conditions are right for it later today in New England. 

Boston and Providence are expected to get the brunt of the storm, with 12 to 18 inches of expected snowfall 

Parts of the Northeast - including Long Island and Cape Cod - are even under blizzard warnings today, thanks to high winds that rae mixing with the storm 

Washington, DC is also experiencing the storm, but it will be a mix of rain and snow further south 

Temperatures plummeted 15 to 30 degrees on Thursday, after much of the Northeast experienced record-breaking warm temperatures 

In Lower Manhattan, intrepid, bundled-up commuters carefully navigated snow-covered sidewalks. The blowing snow stung any exposed skin.

Sam Lopresti, of Jersey City, New Jersey, warm and dry in his workplace, said he'd been pleasantly surprised that his early-morning train trip to Manhattan had gone smoothly.

'I fully expected the MTA and PATH to curl into a ball and say, "Don't hurt me!"' joked Lopresti, an actor and barista.

Lopresti said weather forecasts had escalated from 'a run of the mill snowstorm to an apocalyptic deal.'

These dog owners didn't let the snow get in the way of their morning walk in New York City's Tompkins Square Park on Thursday

Thursday's storm is expected to last six to 10 hours, said Carl Erickson, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather in State College, Pennsylvania

New York City residents woke up to snow Thursday morning, as a fast storm moves through the region. Above, a view of Manhattan's Upper East Side 

The storm comes a day after much of the Northeast enjoyed a brief glimpse of spring, with temperatures hitting 60 degrees in some places. 

Record high temperatures were set in Philadelphia, New York City and Baltimore. 

The storm started as rain early Thursday in eastern Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey before changing over to snow. 

Thursday's storm is expected to last six to 10 hours, said Carl Erickson, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather in State College, Pennsylvania.

The snow is expected taper off by the early afternoon in the Philadelphia and New York City areas, but New Englanders should brace for snowfall through the evening commute.  

10-Day National Temperature Forecast