New York and the northeast crippled as nor'easter dumps record snow and cancels thousands of flights

new york and much of the US east coast were paralyzed by a powerful nor'easter that brought record-breaking snow, left more than 5, 000 flights cancelled and knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses.

New York travel ban and city shutdown

A full travel ban in New York City ran from 21: 00 local time (02: 00 GMT) on Sunday to 12: 00 local time (17: 00 GMT) on Monday; the mayor said schools would be closed and all streets, highways and bridges would be shut to traffic except for emergencies. The ban brought a city of over 8 million to a near standstill before it was lifted at noon local time, and a state agency warned of "near impossible" travel conditions. In new york, Central Park recorded more than 19 inches of snow, and the city had more than 15 inches and counting as the storm continued.

Record totals in Providence and across the northeast

Rhode Island and Massachusetts saw some of the highest totals. Providence received what local reporting called 33 inches, shattering the prior single-storm record of 28. 6 inches set in February 1978; a National Weather Service office in Boston listed a Providence measurement of 32. 8 inches by about midday Monday and said snow was still falling. Islip Airport on Long Island reached 26. 5 inches, Freehold, New Jersey recorded 24. 2 inches, and Southampton, New York saw 24 inches. Philadelphia measured well over 13 inches as the storm piled up heavy, wet snow.

Flights, outages and travel bans along the coast

More than 5, 000 flights were cancelled as the storm disrupted travel for millions. Power failures affected over 600, 000 homes and businesses across the east coast, with New Jersey and Massachusetts the worst hit. In Massachusetts, nearly 300, 000 customers were without power, including 85% of customers in Barnstable County, which covers all of Cape Cod. Rhode Island and Connecticut imposed bans on non-essential travel, and Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey later announced a travel ban for Southeastern Massachusetts and ordered the speed limit on the Pike reduced to 40 mph (25 km/h), urging residents to stay off the roads because whiteout conditions would make rescue difficult.

Storm intensity, rare features and health warnings

Meteorologists called the system a classic, powerful nor'easter that rapidly intensified into a bomb cyclone, with the storm's central pressure dropping 39 millibars in 24 hours — well past the 24-millibar threshold used to mark bombogenesis. The storm produced thundersnow and lightning and followed a track that maximized snowfall, a combination experts described as a "Goldilocks" setup: temperatures just warm enough for heavy, moisture-laden snow but cold enough for it to fall. Forecasters warned that the wet, heavy snow increases the risk of heart attacks for people shoveling, and that winter storm warnings stretched from North Carolina to northern Maine with some warnings extending into parts of eastern Canada. The National Weather Service said the snow was expected to persist throughout Monday, and some areas along the northeast coastline faced totals of an additional 1 ft to 2 ft (61 cm) by Tuesday morning.

Local impacts in Providence and roadside logistics

Providence officials reported a sharp increase in plow-blocking parking: more than 300 vehicles were towed for obstructing snow-clearing operations before tow operations halted and drivers began assisting stranded vehicles. In Connecticut and New Jersey, falling trees and branches created dangerous road hazards and the potential for further power outages.

Other national headlines on the same day

• A crew blasted off from Cape Canaveral in a Dragon spacecraft atop a Falcon 9 rocket bound for the International Space Station.
• Following a recent release of Epstein files, claims made by the then Prince Andrew in 2019 came under fresh scrutiny.
• A recent surge of more than 2, 000 immigration officers to one state inspired nationwide protests after two US citizens were killed by federal agents last month.
• A well-known star died at the age of 48; that star had spoken in 2003 about leaving a best-known role.
• Nancy Guthrie, 84, was abducted from her home near Tucson, Arizona, prompting a widespread search and appeals from her family; a video was released by the FBI more than eight days after her disappearance.
• Spectators walked alongside monks for the final leg of a trek from Capitol Hill to the Lincoln Memorial.
• The US Attorney General faced lawmakers during a hearing that included scrutiny of the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
• A shooting left nine people dead and at least 25 wounded; one student said they barricaded in a classroom for two hours. Separately, Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre offered condolences after nine people were shot dead in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.
• A convicted sex offender was questioned about ties to Jeffrey Epstein and remained silent when asked whether she was a close friend or helped traffic girls.
• An American skier fractured a left leg after a fall in the women's downhill competition, nine days after rupturing an ACL in an earlier crash.

recovery and clearing operations would continue as the storm lingered; the National Weather Service expected snow to persist through Monday with coastal areas possibly receiving another 1 ft to 2 ft by Tuesday morning.