New York Blizzard: Historic nor'easter slams US north-east as NYC issues full travel ban
The New York Blizzard has arrived as a historic winter storm lashing the US north-east, prompting a full travel ban in New York City and widespread power outages as accumulations begin to build. The scale of impacts — from tens of thousands of properties losing power to thousands of cancelled flights and emergency declarations across the region — underscores the severity of the storm.
New York Blizzard: city travel ban, closures and emergency orders
A full travel ban is in place in New York City from Sunday evening until noon local time on Monday as the city is expected to be hit with 18-24 inches of snow and temperatures as low as -6C (20F). Mayor Zohran Mamdani ordered all streets, highways and bridges shut to traffic except for emergencies, and schools were closed. The administration warned the most severe snowfall — up to 28 inches — was expected overnight into Monday.
Storm footprint and forecasts for the US north-east and Canada
Forecasters say much of the US north-east and Canada's maritime provinces will be affected from Sunday evening into Monday. The system is expected to be the most powerful nor'easter in nearly a decade for much of the region, bringing heavy snow, fierce winds and coastal flooding. The US National Weather Service warned snowfall rates could reach an estimated 2-3 inches per hour and totals of 1-2 feet (30-60cm) in places, creating nearly impossible and extremely treacherous travel conditions.
Accumulations, wind and power impacts
Much of the north-east was already blanketed in several inches of snow, with 10 inches (25cm) recorded in Manorville, New York, and Howell, New Jersey, as of midnight local time (05: 00 GMT on Monday). Nearly 90, 000 properties were without power in New Jersey alone, with tens of thousands more affected in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia as of 03: 00 local time (08: 00 GMT). Along the coast, the highest wind gusts of up to 65-70mph (104-112km/h) were expected, with officials warning of downed tree limbs and further outages.
Transport disruption: flights, airports and regional travel bans
Thousands of flights were cancelled around the peak of the storm. Around 5, 500 US flights were cancelled on Sunday and hundreds of others delayed, with thousands more cancelled on Monday. New York's John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports were among the worst affected. Several states had instituted travel restrictions or bans as conditions deteriorated, and states of emergency were declared across the region. Some 59 million people were under weather warnings.
Local leadership, public safety measures and cancelled events
New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for the whole state and put 100 members of the National Guard on ready alert. She warned the storm would produce unprecedented impacts, including prolonged outages and concentrated impacts on Long Island, New York City and the lower Hudson Valley.
Public life was disrupted: all Broadway shows were cancelled on Sunday evening, and the New York Racing Association cancelled Sunday's eight horse races at the Aqueduct Racetrack. The current storm is the first time in nine years that New York City has been under a blizzard warning and marks the second major snowstorm of Mayor Mamdani's new administration, following a three-week cold snap earlier this year that resulted in 19 deaths.
Voices from the city and what comes next
Residents expressed concern about the practical effects of the ban. Brooklyn resident Brandon Smith said the suspension of roads was difficult because many people still needed to work and jobs continue to call. National Weather Service meteorologist Cody Snell noted it had been several years since the region experienced a storm of this magnitude covering such a large, densely populated area.
Officials emphasised that conditions remain fluid and dangerous. Travel, power restoration and event decisions will evolve as crews respond to outages and weather conditions change. Details may shift as the storm continues to move through the region.
