A severe winter storm has brought the Northeastern United States to a standstill, prompting a cascade of emergency declarations, widespread school closures, and massive travel disruptions. The powerful system, delivering heavy snowfall and intense winds, has activated a multi-state crisis response.
In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a state of emergency, instituting a vehicle ban for non-essential travel from Sunday night through Monday noon to facilitate snow clearance and emergency operations. The city’s public school system, the nation’s largest, canceled all classes and after-school programs for a traditional snow day, with no remote instruction. This marks the first blizzard warning for the city since 2017.
The disruption extended to the highest levels of international diplomacy, forcing the closure of the United Nations headquarters complex in Manhattan. New York Governor Kathy Hochul mobilized 100 National Guard members to assist in hardest-hit regions, including Long Island and the Lower Hudson Valley, where forecasts predicted up to two feet of snow and wind gusts reaching 70 mph.
The storm’s impact crippled transportation networks across the region. Air travel suffered significantly, with over 5,000 flights canceled for Monday according to FlightAware, with further cancellations expected. Ground transit systems, including NJ TRANSIT and Rhode Island Public Transit Authority services, were fully suspended. The U.S. Postal Service warned of potential delays in mail and package delivery.
State leadership across the Northeast echoed urgent calls for public safety. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey declared an emergency and ordered state workers to stay home. Connecticut implemented a commercial vehicle ban on limited-access highways, while New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill issued a statewide emergency, emphasizing the serious nature of the storm. Despite an ongoing funding lapse at the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA confirmed its disaster-response operations continue unimpeded, with life safety remaining the top priority.