The Northeastern United States is facing a historic winter storm that is affecting over 40 million residents from Maryland to Maine. On Monday morning, New York City was largely paralyzed as snowfall reached unprecedented levels, similar to the severity not seen in the last decade.
Extent of the Storm’s Impact
As of 5:28 AM local time, meteorological reports indicated that Long Island had accumulated more than 38 centimeters of snow. By 7:23 AM GMT, Manhattan and Brooklyn were blanketed with between 23 to 28 centimeters of snow. The National Weather Service warned that heavy snowfall was ongoing.
Travel Restrictions and Warnings
- All non-essential vehicles are banned from New York’s streets, highways, and bridges until 5 PM GMT.
- Residents are advised to stay warm and safe as conditions continue to deteriorate.
Additionally, power outages affected over 280,000 households across the Northeastern states, with New Jersey bearing the brunt, losing around 110,000 connections. Delaware followed with over 67,000 outages.
Emergency Declarations
Due to the severe weather, seven states—including Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island—have declared states of emergency with travel bans initiated since Sunday afternoon. Public transport services, especially railways in New Jersey, have also been suspended to ensure safety.
Snow Accumulation and Wind Conditions
Forecasts predict that snowfall could accumulate to 60 centimeters in the coming hours, with wind gusts potentially reaching 80 kilometers per hour. Officials also cautioned about flood risks in certain areas of New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
City Life Affected
By early Monday, visibility in New York was severely impacted, with Wall Street skyscrapers scarcely visible from Brooklyn due to the storm. Kathy Hochul, the Governor of New York, warned that “the worst is yet to come” and urged residents to remain indoors.
Public Reactions
While many residents expressed frustrations over the mobility challenges, especially for those unable to work from home, some tourists were captivated by the snow. Macarena Gonzalez from Chile remarked, “I knew it would snow, but I didn’t expect this much. It’s a beautiful experience.”
Business and Travel Disruptions
In Manhattan, the United Nations headquarters will be closed, and all scheduled meetings are postponed. Boston public schools are also closed, reflecting the storm’s extensive impact. According to FlightAware, more than 8,700 flights have been canceled since Sunday, especially affecting New York’s airports, followed by Boston, Newark, and Philadelphia. Anticipation of an additional 1,300 flight cancellations is expected for Tuesday due to continuing weather challenges.
