WASHINGTON —The federal government has announced that it will be closing its offices in the Washington, D.C., area at noon Friday as the nation's capital braces for what could be a historic blizzard.

The Office of Personnel Management says offices will be open Friday morning, although non-emergency employees have the option to telework or use unscheduled leave.

Those who do come into work are being told they must leave before noon, when all federal offices will be closed.

The National Weather Service says more than 2 feet of snow could fall on Washington on Friday and Saturday. States of emergency have been declared in five states and the District of Columbia.

Louis Uccellini, National Weather Service director, says that the storm could easily cause more than $1 billion in damage and paralyze the Eastern one-third of the nation. He says it has the potential to affect more than 50 million people. Washington looks like the bullseye of the blizzard.

Weather Prediction Center meteorologist Paul Kocin says the blizzard has the potential to be near the top 10 snowstorms in history to hit the East, with the weekend timing and days of warning being a saving grace that could limit death and damage.

He compared this storm to Snowmageddon, the first of two storms that slammed Washington in 2010, dumping up to 30 inches of snow in some places. Forecasters are calling for up to 2 feet of snow in the nation's capital.