( CNN ) -- A quick-hitting Northeast snowstorm that began coating the nation 's capital Wednesday has forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights for travelers in New England and the Eastern Seaboard , according to airline spokesmen . Winter storm warnings were in effect Wednesday from the southern Appalachian mountains to coastal Massachusetts and were expected to expire Thursday morning , said CNN meteorologist Sean Morris . Snow was falling about an inch an hour in Washington , D.C. , which was expected to receive 4 to 6 inches Wednesday evening , he said . Federal employees and most schools in Washington ended business early on Wednesday . New York is expected to receive 8 to 12 inches of snow starting about midnight , Morris said . Boston should also see 8 to 12 inches , with the heaviest snow falling Thursday morning , he said . Nashville and central Tennessee got 2 to 4 inches of snow Wednesday , Morris said . The snowfall was even prompting airlines to pre-emptively cancel flights . Among the biggest cancellations were Delta Airlines ' 575 flights between Washington , D.C. , and Boston , said spokesman Anthony Black . American Airlines/American Eagle spokesman Ed Martelle said the two airlines cancelled 280 flights for Wednesday and 65 more are cancelled for Thursday between Washington , D.C. , and Boston . United cancelled 276 flights Wednesday and proactively cancelled 71 more for Thursday , and Continental cancelled 322 flights Wednesday and 108 more for Thursday , said Christen David , spokesman for both airlines . Southwest Airlines canceled more than 100 flights Wednesday in the Northeast , said spokeswoman Brandy King . Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley wants people to stay off the roads . `` This is a serious traffic hazard and challenge , '' O'Malley said at a press briefing from the state 's operation center in Hanover . Maryland officials said 1,600 maintenance workers and 1,400 pieces of equipment would be on the roads all night battling the storm . The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for the area until early Thursday morning . Snow accumulations could reach 10 inches . One problem that could hamper snow removal is the lack of sand and chemical preparation for roadways , due to the recent heavy rains . `` We have not been able to successfully pretreat the surfaces , '' O'Malley told reporters after a briefing with Maryland public safety and transportation officials . Maryland has not activated the National Guard , but they are ready for deployment if needed , officials said . In Florida , the National Weather Service has dispatched survey teams to investigate damage caused by storms that moved across the state Tuesday evening . They found that a tornado near Boca Raton had snapped and uprooted trees , CNN meteorologist Morris said . In St. Petersburg , Florida , 90 mph straight-line winds damaged a gas station and injured one person , Morris said . A tornado near Alva , Florida , destroyed and damaged six mobile homes , and straight-line winds between 60 and 90 mph damaged several homes near Groveland , Florida , Morris said . This snowstorm comes after many had just dug themselves out of a blizzard that walloped the Northeast earlier this month . The storm that hit in early January closed hundreds of schools , stopped the rail system between New York City and points north for days and grounded hundreds of flights . Connecticut , Rhode Island , New Hampshire and Vermont reached up to 30 inches , while most areas got 8 to 16 inches of snow . CNN 's Eric Fiegel contributed to this report .
October : Hundreds of flights are scheduled Wednesday and even for Thursday . Two tornadoes in Georgia damage homes and injure one person . Snow will cover many states in the East Wednesday and Thursday , forecasters predict .