Massive U.S. storm prompts flight cancellations at Toronto Pearson International Airport

Toronto's Pearson InternationalAirport says that some flights from Toronto to the U.S. East Coast have been cancelled due to a massive winter storm that the U.S. National Weather Servicebelievescould rank near the top 10 to ever hit the region.

• U.S. South, East start feeling effects of monster winter storm

Some Canadian travellers havereceived word from theirairlines that flights up to two days from now have already been cancelled due to the weather forecast.

Five U.S. states have declared a state of emergency and Washington, D.C.,is supposed to be buried under more than 60 centimetres of snow.

The U.S. National Weather Service says the snowfall isexpected to continue from late Friday into Sundayand could easily cause more than $1 billion in damage, potentially paralyzing partsof the U.S. East Coast.

Around threeper cent of incoming flights andfourper cent of outgoing flights have beencancelled, according to GTAA spokeswoman Shabeen Hanifa.

"That can be for a number of reasons including the weather outon the Eastern seaboard," she said."The best thing passengers can do is check their flight times with their airline before coming to the airport."

Passengers can also check the status of their flight through the Toronto Pearson website.