Nyc Travel Ban and Historic Blizzard: 59 Million Under Warnings as Nor'easter Slams the Northeast
A historic winter storm has begun lashing the US north-east, prompting a full nyc travel ban and placing 59 million people under weather warnings as heavy snow, fierce winds and coastal flooding sweep the region.
Nyc Travel Ban: timeline, scope and immediate impacts
The full travel ban in New York City is in place from 21: 00 local time (02: 00 GMT) on Sunday to 12: 00 local time (17: 00 GMT) on Monday. Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that schools would be closed and that all streets, highways and bridges would be shut to traffic except for emergencies. The city is expected to face its first blizzard warning in nine years, with forecasts calling for 18-24 inches (50-60cm) of snow and temperatures dropping to about 20F (-6C) during the event.
Live updates: Blizzard grips New Jersey with heavy snow and strong winds
Live updates indicate a blizzard gripping New Jersey with heavy snow and strong winds. Coastal areas across the region are expected to see the highest wind gusts, up to 65-70mph (104-112km/h), raising the risk of downed tree limbs and power outages.
Regional warnings, evacuations and states of emergency
States of emergency have been declared in multiple states including Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey and Rhode Island. Several jurisdictions have instituted travel restrictions or bans as the storm moves in. Forecasters say much of the US north-east and the maritimes provinces will be affected from Sunday evening to Monday, with this nor'easter expected to be the most powerful in nearly a decade across a large portion of the region.
Snow totals, rates and the near-term forecast
As of midnight local time (05: 00 GMT) on Monday, much of the north-east had already been blanketed in several inches of snow, with 10 inches (25cm) reported in Manorville, New York and Howell, New Jersey. The US National Weather Service has warned snowfall rates of an estimated 2-3 inches (5-7cm) per hour are possible, with total accumulations that can reach 1-2ft (30-60cm) in places, producing conditions described as nearly impossible and extremely treacherous for travel.
Power outages, flights and wider transportation disruption
Power cuts have affected more than 150, 000 people in the north-eastern states so far, including 60, 000 in New Jersey alone. Tens of thousands more are without power in Virginia, Delaware and Maryland, per a regional outage tracker. Roughly 5, 500 US flights were canceled on Sunday and hundreds more were delayed, a flight monitor. Snow began falling on Sunday evening in parts of the region including Boston, Philadelphia and New York, where some of the harshest conditions are forecast.
Officials' warnings, emergency response and human impact
Cody Snell, a meteorologist at the US National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center, noted that while the region does experience nor'easters, it has been several years since one of this magnitude affected such a large and densely populated area. Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for the whole state and placed 100 members of the National Guard on ready alert. Mayor Zohran Mamdani, announcing a state of emergency, said the most severe snowfall was expected overnight into Monday, with up to 28 inches (70cm) anticipated in certain areas.
This is the second major snowstorm of the first-time mayor's administration, following a three-week cold snap in January that resulted in 19 deaths. Officials have warned residents to expect downed trees and power outages as the storm brings both heavy snow and powerful gusts.
Governor Hochul said, "This will be something the likes of which we've not seen in years, " and further comments are unclear in the provided context.
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Recent developments remain fluid; the nyc travel ban and related emergency measures are in effect for the stated window and details may evolve as crews respond and forecasts update.
