New York: 'Near impossible' travel conditions as 22 inches of snow hits new york east coast
There are "near impossible" travel conditions as a major nor'easter battered the US east coast after parts of the region received more than 22 inches (55. 9cm) of snow overnight. The storm left New York shrouded in deep snow, prompted non-essential travel bans and forced thousands of flight cancellations.
Blizzard warnings and road bans
Blizzard warnings stretched across large swathes of the north-east, at times running from North Carolina to northern Maine and in another account from Maryland to Maine, with warnings also in place in parts of eastern Canada. Millions of people in New York City and the surrounding north-eastern states were told to stay at home under road travel bans as strong winds and heavy snow created whiteout conditions.
New York travel ban and timing
In New York City, non-essential travel was banned until midday local time (17: 00 GMT) in one notice, while cellphone push alerts announced a ban on non-emergency travel on all streets through noon Monday in another account. Officials described the street-level conditions as shin-deep in places and warned that travel would be extremely treacherous.
Snow totals and wind gusts
Parts of the east coast recorded more than 22 inches (55. 9cm) of snow, with over 15 inches in Central Park. Some forecasts warned of up to 2ft (60cm) in places. Snow fell at rates of 2-3in (5-7. 6cm) an hour early on Monday from New York through Massachusetts, and some areas had seen well over a foot (30cm) of accumulation since Sunday. Long Island’s MacArthur airport reported 20in and Freehold, New Jersey, had 19in. Observers noted wind gusts of over 30mph (48km/h) and sharply reduced visibility that produced whiteout conditions.
Flights, power outages, transit
More than 5, 000 flights into and out of the United States were cancelled on Monday, with most cancellations concentrated in New York, New Jersey and Boston. Public transit was suspended in some areas. The storm knocked out power for a large number of customers: one tally put the outage total at nearly 240, 000 people, while another figure noted more than 300, 000 customers were in the dark along the east coast early on Monday, including about 115, 000 customers without power in New Jersey.
Warnings, definitions and forecasts
The National Weather Service warned that "the combination of heavy snowfall and strong winds will continue to produce blizzard conditions along the Northeastern Seaboard" and that "sharply reduced visibility will make travel extremely treacherous across these areas. " The NWS also said the snow was expected to taper off by Monday afternoon. NWS meteorologist Frank Pereira warned: "We're expecting conditions to rapidly deteriorate, " and said the storm could possibly become a bomb cyclone, which is when a storm drops at least 24 millibars in pressure in 24 hours. Pereira added, "I think when all is said and done, it will meet the definition of a bomb cyclone. "
Schools, landmarks and emergency action
Schools moved online or were canceled in several cities: Philadelphia switched to online learning, and Boston and New York City canceled public school classes for Monday. Emergencies were declared in New York, Philadelphia and other cities, and in several states stretching from Delaware to Massachusetts as officials mobilized readiness efforts. Various landmarks and cultural institutions announced closures, including New York’s Museum of Modern Art and Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC; Broadway shows were canceled on Sunday evening.
Voices on the ground and footage
Reporter Brandon Livesay described neighbours in New York shovelling to fight the blizzards and time-lapse footage showed the Empire State Building engulfed by snow overnight. Jason Hunter-Jones, who lives in Durham, works for British Airways and arrived in Boston on Sunday, said he was due to fly back to the UK today but that "all four flights have been cancelled. " He said that when he went to sleep around 22: 00 last night there was no snow and he assumed it fell in the early hours. "I went outside earlier and saw a few cars getting stuck in the snow, " he said. "Looking outside the weather is getting worse - it’s like a blizzard. "
Mayor's message and outreach
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani described the event as "the first old-school snow day since 2019" and urged residents to stay home, telling children: "To kids across New York City, you have a very serious mission if you choose to accept it: Stay cozy. " Outreach workers were deployed to coax homeless New Yorkers off the streets and into shelters and warming centres.
The coverage was edited by Caitlin Doherty and Alex Smith, with weather presenter Chris Fawkes. Emergency responses and forecasts continued to evolve as public safety officials managed cancellations, closures and outreach across the affected region.
