NYC Blizzard 2026: Travel Ban, Schools Closed, Snow Totals, MTA Status and Everything You Need to Know

A bomb cyclone nor'easter of historic proportions is burying New York City and the entire Tri-State Area on Monday, February 23, 2026 ET — bringing blizzard conditions, near-hurricane-force wind gusts, and snow totals that could rank among the ten worst storms in New York City's 150-year weather record. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has declared a state of emergency, a citywide travel ban is in effect, NYC public schools are closed for the city's first traditional snow day since 2019, and the MTA is operating on severely reduced service.

NYC Travel Ban: What You Need to Know Right Now

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a state of emergency and announced a travel ban beginning at 9:00 PM ET Sunday, ending at noon Monday. "All traffic, including bikes, will be banned, except for essential and emergency travel," city officials said.

Cars, trucks, scooters, and e-bikes are subject to the NYC travel ban, with exemptions for government and emergency vehicles, MTA buses, Access-A-Ride, food and fuel deliveries, utility vehicles, essential workers, and nonprofit emergency relief organizations. Citi Bike service was halted at 8:00 PM Sunday. Alternate Side Parking for Monday, February 23 has been suspended.

New Jersey extended its travel ban until noon Monday. Under the NJ travel ban, people are urged to avoid all non-essential travel on state, county, municipal and interstate roads. The NJ Turnpike is exempt. Violators may face penalties.

NYC Schools Closed Monday — First Snow Day Since 2019

New York City public schools will have a full snow day Monday — the city's first "old-school" snow day since 2019, Mayor Mamdani announced. This means no online schooling or remote learning. The mayor said he will make a decision about Tuesday school closures at a later time.

NYC Snow Totals and Snowfall Accumulation So Far

At least 15 inches of snow was reported at multiple National Weather Service reporting sites across NYC as of 7:00 AM ET Monday. Midtown Manhattan reported a peak wind gust of 47 mph just after 3:00 AM ET.

The National Weather Service reported 14 inches in Dongan Hills on Staten Island — the highest official total in the city as of early Monday morning.

Snow totals could reach 18 to 24 inches on parts of Long Island and the Jersey Shore, and at least 12 to 18 inches in NYC and the rest of the Tri-State. Officials warn this storm could rank among the city's 10 worst in 150 years.

MTA Blizzard Service: Subway, LIRR, and NJ Transit Status

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said subway service is running across the whole system but at slower, less frequent schedules due to snow accumulation. "If you don't have to travel, today's the day to stay home," Lieber said.

Metro-North is running hourly service, while the Long Island Rail Road remains suspended in Nassau and Suffolk counties. NJ Transit suspended all bus, light rail, and rail services Sunday evening.

JFK Airport, LaGuardia, and Newark Flight Cancellations

As of 6:00 AM ET Monday, LaGuardia had 1,025 flight cancellations, JFK had 1,089, and Newark Liberty International Airport reported 861 cancellations. More than 10,000 U.S. flights have been canceled from Sunday through Tuesday. American Airlines suspended all operations at LaGuardia, JFK, and Philadelphia through Monday, with teams working to resume Tuesday as soon as conditions allow.

Mamdani Snow Day Message to New Yorkers

NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Christina Farrell urged: "Heavy snow, strong winds, and coastal flooding have the potential to make travel dangerous from Sunday afternoon through Monday morning. Stay informed, sign up for Notify NYC, avoid unnecessary travel, and check on your neighbors." Mayor Mamdani activated Code Blue, with outreach workers canvassing all five boroughs 24/7 to bring homeless New Yorkers indoors. All 311 weather-related calls involving homeless New Yorkers are being rerouted directly to 911.

New York and New Jersey Power Outages

Tens of thousands of customers across the Tri-State Area are reporting power outages, with the most severe concentrations in New Jersey where 57,067 customers lost power. PSEG warned residents to stay away from downed power lines and called on all drivers to avoid those areas entirely.

Conditions are expected to begin improving Monday afternoon as the storm tracks northeast — but coastal flooding remains a risk during Monday's high tide cycle. Stay home if at all possible.