The Calm Before The Storm Of The Century — PHOTOS

New Yorkers have long prided themselves in being a resilient bunch — no small feat in a city of 8.4 million where people all across the nation (and world) pack up and move in the fervent hope of "making it big," whatever that means today. But tenacious as they might be, even the toughest among us cannot take on the wrath of Mother Nature. New York's mega-blizzard (or #Snowmageddon2015 or #BlizzardOf2015 — take your pick) has sent New Yorkers of every walk of life scampering indoors, as the city braces for the snowstorm of the century that could see the Big Apple blanketed in at least 24 inches of snow.

When NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio — who, by all accounts, seems like a calm, rational man — issues a serious warning about the snowstorm, you know it's time you get your life together and ready yourself for a great snowstorm party during which layers and layers of snow will cloak your apartment, leaving you with no choice but to be confined indoors with your roommates, drinking Bloody Marys and playing Settlers of Catan.

The city, though, seems like it's prepared — as much as is possible, anyway — for the blizzard. Air travel and entertainment events have been cancelled, public transportation is set to shut down at 11 p.m., schools closed and grocery stores were emptied in anticipation of the "crippling and potentially historic blizzard," also known as Juno. Some of the city's most iconic locations, such as Central Park, Times Square, and the Lincoln Center, looked like shadows of their former selves as streets emptied out and stores shut down — both beautiful in its serenity and terrifying in its apprehension. Here are the pictures of an unfamiliar, deserted New York City, deep in hiding from the elements.

And then there were the classic pre-snowstorm stocking-up freakouts — NYC-style, of course, because no blizzard is complete without some of the city's supermarkets being depleted of their supply of, uh, kale and quinoa.

Stay safe, New York, and here's to hoping you make it through this trying night without running out of the organic, gluten-free, vegan-friendly food you bought at Whole Foods the day before.

Image: maximusupinNYc/Twitter