epstein, and bill cosby. we begin, though, with the breaking news. this huge snowstorm on the east coast. cnn's polo sandoval live near central park. what are you seeing, polo? >> reporter: hey, john, good morning. it is clear that this storm is certainly taking its hold on the northeast here. you've seen some of the radar pictures, i'm sure. this is what it looks like on the ground, at least from our vantage point in midtown, manhattan. right now, it's that light, fluffy snow that will allow those snow removal operations the upper hand. it's trying to keep these streets as clear as possible. let me tell you something, john. since the forecast showed this storm basically aiming towards the northeast, authorities here in new york have been busy preparing, they've been pre-salting, knowing that this was coming. one of the things that we've seen city officials do here, including the mayor, mayor bill de blasio issuing a declaration, banning all non-essential travel on these streets, hoping that these streets will be cleared not just for the snowplows, but those essential workers that need to get to work this morning. quick note on covid vaccinations, by the way. those highly coveted