Brace yourself for the thinkpieces. Over the next 48 hours, the internet is going to be awash in reports, commentary and memes , as much of the web world focuses squarely on the outcome of the US Presidential elections. To put it succinctly, by Wednesday morning Indian time, we will know if the American voters have given Donald Trump access to nuclear bombs.

Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has a 3%-4% lead in most polls, and is the clear frontrunner in the race that began 18 months ago and and now seems to have permeated every corner of the internet. But Donald Trump has spent the election offering sound and fury, and we will only know on Wednesday morning what it will signify.

We've learnt about what India wants from the election, how awkwardly Indian journalists acted around Trump, why South Asian Americans are urging their relatives to vote for Clinton and what the Republican candidate has to do with the syllable "Om". In fact, go check out all of Scroll's coverage of the 2016 US elections.

But the next day or so will offer another deluge of content being thrown at your eyeballs as the world learns who will be Barack Obama's successor, so here is a handy guide on how to follow along.

First a timeline,

  • 4:30 pm (IST) on Tuesday: Americans begin to vote at polling stations (even though a huge number have already cast their vote via postal or absentee ballot). 
  • 5:30 am (IST) on Wednesday: Polling stations across the country start to close, with the first state projections coming in via exit polls. 
  • Between 5:30 am and 9:30 am (IST) on Wednesday: News organisations will "call" states for one candidate or the other, firming up the overall map. 
  • 9:30 am (IST) on Wednesday: This is the earliest time the election is usually called by US news organisations since polls have shut in most Western states, especially California. Barack Obama was declared President around this time in 2012. 
  • 11:30 am (IST) on Wednesday: Alaska, the last state will declare its results, but by then the overall picture should be more than clear – unless we have a repeat of the 2000 mess.  

And here's how you can follow along:

  • While Americans are voting: American news organisations have had a decades-long tradition of not publishing voting information until polling is over so that it doesn't affect results, just like India's ban on exit polls until after the elections are over. This year is different, because Slate and data startup VoteCastr providing real-time projections. Read about how this process will work and how you can follow along here.
  • What the numbers are telling us: If data is your thing, American elections should make you happy. Nate Silver's FiveThirtyEight has spent the last two years collecting opinion polls from across the country to put together a projection of who is likely to win, and they will be tracking the forecasts throughout the day. If all you want are the basic numbers, though, Google should suffice. 
  • What people are saying: You can watch the livestream on CNN. Or CBS. Or NBC News. Or even MTV News. And RT America will probably offer a different perspective altogether. But the best way to tap into the conversation if you don't just want to be listening to talking heads is to get on Twitter, and here is a whole bunch of accounts to follow. 
  • What you should be reading: The New York Times is lifting its paywall for the elections, which means everyone can read just about anything on the website, making it a great place for you to get political commentary as well as look back at all the great reportage the news organisation has done. The Washington Post is doing the same, and you can also go check out Politico, Buzzfeed and Vox. 
  • What you should be watching: Aside from the news organisation livestreams, there are a couple of more fun options: The Daily Show will be broadcasting live, and you can watch online. Stephen Colbert is also going to be doing a live show on Showtime, which you can access if you're a subscriber and have the app.