Winter storm set to 'go bananas' across Northeast --- A wintry double whammy is descending on the Northeast on Tuesday, bringing as much as a foot of snow and another blast of arctic air. -- The latest blow to a weather-beaten region promises to snarl airports and interstates, has closed schools and shuttered much of the nation's capital. Initially forecast to be a modest blurt of cold weather, the system is now packing a real punch. -- “Every once in while these little winter storms go bananas, and we think this might be the one,” said Kevin Roth, a lead meteorologist with the Weather Channel. -- "Cities from Philadelphia to Boston could face a pretty bad commute home,” Roth said. “We’re expecting a good six to 10 inches. It will be snowing pretty hard.” -- Blizzard conditions are expected along the heavily populated Interstate 95 corridor. Washington, D.C., is set to see about a half-foot of snow and wind gusts of 30 mph, while Boston could see around 8 inches and wind gusts up to 40 mph. -- A winter storm warning was in effect for New York City and the surrounding areas by the National Weather Service from noon Tuesday through Wednesday morning, and Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city has activated all of its emergency preparation systems, according to NBC New York. --- While the eastern U.S. struggles with the snow, the West Coast will remain high and dry, Roth said. The ongoing drought in California has created ideal conditions for wildfires. -- “Perhaps next week we can talk about rain coming to California,” Roth added. - More, NBC News, at: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/21/22381468-winter-storm-set-to-go-bananas-across-northeast?lite