Snow Totals: snow totals update across the Northeast

Snow totals are still being tallied after a massive snowstorm pummeled the northeastern United States from Maryland to Maine on Monday. The storm forced millions to stay home amid strong wind and blizzard warnings, transportation shutdowns and school and business closures.

Storm scope and timing

Officials declared emergencies as the system swept the Eastern Seaboard. Meteorologists called the storm the strongest in a decade and described it as a classic bomb cyclone/nor’easter off the Northeast coast. A bomb cyclone happens when a storm’s pressure falls by a certain amount within a 24-hour period, occurring mainly in the fall and winter when frigid Arctic air can reach the south and clash with warmer temperatures.

The snow moved northward and tapered off in some areas while the National Weather Service said it is tracking another storm that could bring more snow to the region later this week.

Snow Totals by location

Parts of the metropolitan Northeast saw more than 2 feet (60 centimeters) of snow, shattering accumulation records in places and immobilizing transit. Central Park in New York City recorded 19 inches (48 centimeters) of snow. Warwick, Rhode Island, exceeded 3 feet (91 centimeters), topping the nation so far.

Transportation shutdowns disrupted flights and left millions confined to home. The United Nations postponed a Security Council meeting as the storm’s impact spread beyond local travel and commuting.

Records and wind gusts

The highest wind gust recorded was 83 mph (133 kph) in Nantucket, and hurricane-force gusts were seen all over Cape Cod. Meteorologists expressed awe at the combination of power and beauty in the event—calling it a rare convergence of conditions that produced heavy, wet snowfall.

Impact on New York City

New York City saw schools closed and wide disruption, including its first “old-school” snow day in six years. People grappled with power failures as city life slowed: in Lower Manhattan, snow shovelers appeared to outnumber commuting office workers and pedestrians walked freely in streets normally blocked by morning traffic.

Luis Valez, a concierge at a residential tower just off Wall Street, cleared the sidewalk and said, “It’s very quiet, except for the howling winds. ” He added, “A couple of residents have gone out to get their essentials. Other than that, there’s nothing. ”

Matthew Wojtkowiak, 57, an attorney, was shoveling in his Brooklyn neighborhood and said, “I’m from the Midwest, so this is in the zone, ” and, “Not too bad, not too easy, either. ” Schools were closed, and he said he hoped people would get out and enjoy the snow.

Visitors were part of the scene as well: Karen Smith and Adele Bawden, tourists from the United Kingdom, were in the city. Bawden said, “We’ve been dancing in Times Square this morning in the middle of the road in rush hour, ” and, “We’ve just been dancing and not believing we could do it. ”

Local volunteers and residents took unconventional approaches: Ingrid Devita said she liked to patrol the Lower East Side on skis, checking on people who might need help. “I find people fall in the snow and they can’t get up, ” she said.

Maritime and museum response

In Connecticut, crews at the Mystic Seaport Museum prepared to clear snow from a fleet of historic ships, including the 113-foot-long Charles W. Morgan, a wooden whaling ship from the 19th century American merchant fleet. Shannon McKenzie, vice president of watercraft operations and preservation, said shipyard staff will clear the snow by hand using rubber or plast — unclear in the provided context.

Officials continue to manage shutdowns and warn residents of lingering hazards as communities assess damage and recovery needs.