Obama unleashes humor on Discovery astronauts
President Barack Obama unleashes surprising sense of humor on Discovery astronauts in a lighthearted conversation on Robonaut 2, the first humanoid in space. White House Photo

President Barack Obama is tracking the monster storm which swept through the central U.S. yesterday and today and is making in impact on the northeast.

Obama - in a conference call with top federal officials - stressed the need for them to anticipate and address the needs of states dealing with the storm, the White House said.

He also wanted to make sure federal officials were doing all they could to help U.S. residents followed the instruction of state and local officials by tuning into radio, and television broadcasts for updated emergency information.

The storm has brought about scattered power and transportation disruptions in the Midwest and has the potential to bring severe weather to the Northeast today, federal officials told Obama.

Officials said they were in touch with state, local and tribal officials already affected or in the path of the storm.

So far workers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency have been deployed to 13 states and are preparing to deliver supplies if necessary, such as water, meals, blankets, cots, generators and other items.

A deep chill has set in across much of the central U.S. where the storm has already passed. Temperatures were below 10 degrees Fahrenheit along much of the region.

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