A massive winter storm has paralyzed the northeastern U.S., forcing millions into their homes with travel bans, widespread power outages, and thousands of flight cancellations amid blizzard conditions and heavy snowfall.
Millions of people in New York City and across the northeastern U.S. were stuck at home on Monday due to road travel bans and blizzard warnings as a powerful winter storm, with potential to become a 'bomb cyclone,' intensified. The storm brought heavy snow, with Long Island MacArthur Airport reporting 20 inches and Freehold, New Jersey, 19 inches, alongside strong winds creating whiteout conditions. The National Weather Service declared travel conditions 'nearly impossible,' with blizzard warnings extending from Maryland to Maine. Non-emergency travel was banned in New York City, Rhode Island, and New Jersey. Over 5,000 flights in and out of the U.S. were canceled, predominantly in New York, New Jersey, and Boston. Public transit was suspended in some areas, and DoorDash halted deliveries in New York City. The storm caused over 300,000 power outages along the East Coast, including about 115,000 in New Jersey. Emergencies were declared in several states and cities, including New York and Philadelphia. Public schools in New York City and Boston were closed, while Philadelphia switched to online learning. Numerous landmarks and cultural institutions, such as New York's Museum of Modern Art and Arlington National Cemetery, announced closures, and Broadway shows were canceled. Officials warned of a 'Potentially Historic/Destructive Storm' southeast of the Boston-Providence corridor, expressing concern over the combination of heavy, wet snow and strong winds leading to damaged trees and prolonged power outages. New York City recruited shovelers, and snow removal companies prepared for extensive, round-the-clock operations.
