New York City Prohibits Travel as Blizzard Renders Flights Unsafe, Thousands of Cancellations
New York City enforces a complete travel ban as a significant winter storm impacts the northeast, resulting in flight cancellations and power outages.
New York City is currently experiencing a significant halt as a historic winter storm impacts the northeast United States, leading to a ban on non-essential travel and resulting in numerous flight cancellations. The blizzard, marking the city’s first in nine years, has already resulted in thousands being left without power and has compelled several states to declare emergencies.
The travel ban in New York City commenced at 21:00 local time on Sunday (02:00 GMT Monday) and is set to remain in effect until 12:00 local time Monday (17:00 GMT), encompassing all streets, highways, and bridges, with the exception of emergency services. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has declared that schools will remain closed and has urged residents to stay indoors as the city prepares for potential snowfall of up to 28 inches (70cm) in certain areas.
Forecasters indicate that the storm is impacting 59 million individuals throughout the northeastern United States, stretching from North Carolina to northern Maine, with winter storm warnings also in effect for certain areas of eastern Canada. Cody Snell, a meteorologist at the US National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center, stated: “While we do experience numerous nor’easters that bring heavy snow and significant effects, it has been several years since we encountered one of this scale affecting such a vast area in this densely populated region of the country.”
As of midnight local time on Monday (05:00 GMT), much of the northeast is already covered in snow, with Manorville, New York, and Howell, New Jersey, each reporting 10 inches (25cm) of accumulation. The storm is anticipated to generate 2–3 inches (5–7cm) of snowfall each hour, resulting in travel conditions that are described by the NWS as “nearly impossible” and “extremely treacherous.”
The storm has caused significant disruptions to air travel, resulting in the cancellation of over 5,500 flights across the US, along with hundreds of additional delays, as reported by FlightAware. More than 200,000 homes and businesses have been impacted by power outages, with 60,000 of those in New Jersey. Additionally, tens of thousands are experiencing electricity loss in Virginia, Delaware, and Maryland.
Governor Kathy Hochul of New York has declared a state of emergency for the entire state, with 100 National Guard members placed on standby. She cautioned, “This will be an occurrence unlike anything we’ve witnessed in years.” Individuals will remain uninformed. Long Island, New York City, and the lower Hudson are truly at the center of the storm.
The storm has led to significant interruptions in daily life: all Broadway shows scheduled for Sunday evening were cancelled, and the New York Racing Association cancelled eight horse races at the Aqueduct Racetrack. Emergency measures and travel restrictions have been enacted in Rhode Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, resulting in school closures and delays in government offices throughout the region.
In Canada, Nova Scotia’s east coast is currently experiencing severe conditions under an amber weather warning, indicating the potential for widespread power outages, roof damage, and falling debris until early Tuesday.
