Snow Totals: Winter Storm Updates Drive Mixed Reactions as NYC Says 'A World Transformed'

A major snowstorm slammed parts of the US East Coast and thrust snow totals into the spotlight as roughly 40 million people were placed under a blizzard warning on Monday in areas including New York City, Boston, Philadelphia and Long Island. The storm left more than 600, 00 homes and businesses without power (unclear in the provided context), with Massachusetts the hardest hit state at nearly 300, 000 without power and New Jersey reporting about 125, 000 customers offline. The disruption has had wide travel and social impacts, and prompted a range of reactions from locals and tourists — described in coverage as both "exciting" and "frustrating" — while communities tally snow totals and cope with outages.

Snow Totals and Widespread Disruption

Snow totals have driven emergency measures: this is the first time in nine years that New York City has been under a blizzard warning. More than 5, 600 flights into and out of the US were cancelled as the storm struck, compounding the immediate impact on travel. The combination of heavy snow and blizzard conditions contributed to large-scale power failures across multiple states; the numbers cited in initial accounts include the unclear figure of more than 600, 00 homes and businesses without power (unclear in the provided context), nearly 300, 000 without power in Massachusetts and about 125, 000 in New Jersey.

Local Reactions: 'Exciting' or 'Frustrating'?

East coast residents and visitors offered mixed reactions as services struggled to keep pace. Fans in New England were described as dealing with heartbreak while, by contrast, a joyous and at times raucous celebration broke out in Seattle. In New York, footage and commentary captured the sense that conditions represented "a world transformed, " with videos collecting scenes of altered streets and public life under the storm.

Human Stories and Public Safety Incidents

Beyond the storm, several human stories and safety incidents were highlighted. 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 federal authorities more than eight days after the 84-year-old disappeared from her home in Arizona. Separately, a shooting left nine people dead and at least 25 wounded; one student said he barricaded in a classroom for two hours during that attack. There was also an incident in the town of Tumbler Ridge in British Columbia where nine people were shot dead; Mark Carney and Pierre Polievre offered condolences following that event.

National Threads: Investigations, Protests and Hearings

National-level developments ran alongside the weather crisis. Following the latest release of the Epstein files, claims made by the then Prince Andrew in 2019 are under fresh scrutiny. A convicted sex offender was asked whether she was a close friend of Jeffrey Epstein and whether she helped him traffic girls — and remained silent when asked. The US Attorney General faced lawmakers during a hearing that covered the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, among other investigations. Meanwhile, a recent surge of more than 2, 000 immigration officers to a state inspired nationwide protests after two US citizens were killed by federal agents last month.

Other Notable Items in Brief

• A crew blasted off from Cape Canaveral in a Dragon spacecraft atop a Falcon 9 rocket, and footage captured the moment the Falcon 9 blasted off to the International Space Station.
• An American skier suffered a fractured left leg after a fall in the women's downhill competition, an injury occurring just nine days after she ruptured her ACL in an earlier crash.
• A star who has died at the age of 48 had, in 2003, spoken about his feelings on leaving his best-known role (unclear in the provided context which role or further identifying details).
• Spectators walked alongside monks for the last leg of their trek, from Capitol Hill to the Lincoln Memorial.
• Regan Morris detailed what a celebrity gathering was like ahead of an awards ceremony next month.

Outlook and Next Steps

Communities continue to assess damage and restore services as emergency crews respond. Snow totals will remain a central metric for recovery prioritization in affected areas while travel disruptions and cancelled flights will be worked through in the coming days. The broader set of national stories outlined here — from high-profile investigations and hearings to law-enforcement actions and public safety crises — are unfolding alongside the storm and may affect public attention and resource allocation. Details may evolve as authorities release more information.