Northeast US Braces for Historic Blizzard: State of Emergency Declared

New York City is recovering after a major snowstorm that brought transportation to a standstill and left over half a million homes without power across the Northeast. Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced early Tuesday afternoon that “the worst has passed,” following snowfall totals of 40 to 50 centimeters across much of the city, with an additional 4 to 7 centimeters expected by 8 p.m. Local time.

The storm, which impacted a region stretching from Connecticut to Delaware, prompted states of emergency declarations in eight states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. The National Weather Service reported record snowfall at Providence, Rhode Island’s airport, reaching 83 centimeters, with potential for accumulations to reach 90 centimeters by evening.

While New York City lifted its ban on non-essential vehicle travel at noon on Monday, authorities cautioned that conditions remained hazardous. Public transportation, including rail service in New Jersey, experienced significant disruptions and cancellations. More than 6,000 flights were canceled across the region by mid-afternoon, with nearly 2,000 additional cancellations already scheduled for Tuesday, impacting major airports in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia.

The United Nations headquarters in Manhattan was among the institutions closed Monday, postponing all scheduled meetings. Schools and municipal services throughout the region were likewise shuttered, providing an unexpected day of recreation for many students. Eleven-year-old Dylan told the Associated Press he had “never seen so much snow” in his life and was enjoying the opportunity to sled in Central Park. Others, however, expressed frustration with the ongoing conditions. Vincent Greer of Wildwood, New Jersey, told the Associated Press, “I’m tired of the snow. I don’t want to see any more. I can’t see in front of me and I’m freezing!”

Power outages affected over 570,000 homes as of late Monday, with Massachusetts experiencing the largest number of outages, exceeding 285,000. The storm follows a similar weather event in late January that resulted in approximately 100 deaths nationwide, including at least 18 in New York City attributed to hypothermia. In anticipation of the latest storm, New York City and other municipalities activated emergency warming centers, including buses and schools, to provide shelter for vulnerable populations.