New York, 23 Feb: A powerful winter storm swept across the northeastern United States on Monday, forcing authorities to clear roads, close schools and ground thousands of flights as heavy snowfall and high winds battered major cities from Washington to Maine.
New York City ordered all non-essential vehicles off streets, highways and bridges, while public schools were shut for the day. The National Weather Service said snowfall had already reached 14.9 inches by early morning, warning that blizzard conditions could “quickly materialise” and make travel “extremely treacherous.”
Mayor Zohran Mamdani described the storm as the most severe the city has faced in a decade.
“New York City has not faced a storm of this scale in the last decade,” he said, urging residents to avoid non-essential travel.
City officials said the restrictions would remain in place until midday, with exemptions for emergency responders and essential workers.
Across the wider region, forecasters predicted accumulations of up to two feet (60 centimetres) in some areas. Snow combined with strong wind gusts reduced visibility to near whiteout levels in parts of New York early Monday, with skyscrapers in Lower Manhattan barely visible from Brooklyn.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul cautioned that conditions could deteriorate further.
“The worst is yet to come,” she said during a briefing Sunday, advising residents to stock up on groceries, medicines and other essentials before staying indoors.
In neighboring New Jersey, Governor Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency to mobilise resources as power outages mounted. More than 119,000 customers were reported without electricity early Monday.
Air travel across the Northeast was heavily disrupted, with over 5,000 flights cancelled nationwide, according to flight tracking data. Major airports in New York and Boston reported cascading delays as crews struggled to clear runways.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu ordered public schools and municipal buildings closed, urging residents to remain home to assist public safety and snow removal operations.
While many residents braced for disruption, reactions were mixed. Some workers voiced frustration over job obligations despite the travel ban, while visitors to Times Square welcomed the rare snowfall as a memorable experience.
The storm comes only weeks after another severe winter system affected the region, underscoring what meteorologists describe as an intense and volatile winter pattern across the northeastern United States. Authorities continued to advise residents to stay indoors as crews worked to restore power and maintain emergency services.
Officials reiterated that public safety remained the priority, warning that hazardous travel conditions could persist even after snowfall tapers off.
