Things are getting very serious for people on the East Coast during #Blizzard2016

If you’re living on the East Coast then you’re no doubt experiencing the effects of Jonas, the winter storm that is. Washington D.C. has been hit the hardest, with 18 to 30 inches expected through tonight while New York governor Andrew Cuomo has declared a state of emergency in the Empire State, the Jersey Shore has started experiencing some coastal flooding, and Somerset, Pennsylvania has already reported 28 inches of the white stuff.  

Most flights, of course, are cancelled (nearly 6000 of them through Sunday) and people are strongly encouraged to stay off the roadways, where at least nine people have already lost their lives. In Kentucky, drivers were stuck in bumper to bumper traffic for as many as 17 hours as cars began stalling on Interstate 75. On a more general note: Very few errands are worth you or someone else’s life in this kind of weather.

Still, there are some good things that have come out of this. Not only is there a national mandate to stay snuggled in our beds, but there are panda videos to keep us entertained. This morning, the National Zoo in D.C. shared a video of giant panda Tian Tian have a hell of a time in the city’s nearly two feet of snow.

What’s more, Astronaut Scott Kelly, who is currently aboard the International Space Station, has been kind enough to share some stunning satellite images of the winter storm from way, way above.

Whether you’ve experienced snow a thousand times or just ten, you have to admit it’s pretty fascinating. So, stay warm, stay safe, and enjoy the view.

(Image via Astrid Riecken / Getty Images)