Severe Winter Weather Hits Northeastern U.S.

On Monday morning, strong winds and heavy snowfall impacted large regions of the northeastern United States, prompting residents to remain at home due to road closures and blizzard warnings.

Tens of millions of people, stretching from Washington, D.C. to northern Maine, experienced the snowfall as predicted, with some areas expecting nearly 2 feet of accumulation.

Reports indicated that snow continued to fall overnight across New York and Massachusetts, accumulating at a rate of 2 to 3 inches per hour. Since Sunday, many locations have reported more than a foot of snow, coupled with wind gusts over 30 mph, which resulted in poor visibility.

The National Weather Service labeled travel conditions as “nearly impossible,” urging residents to stay indoors until further notice, although some took to the streets in New York City to assist with various needs.

New York’s Long Island MacArthur Airport recorded 22.5 inches of snow as of Monday morning.

Meanwhile, parts of New York City saw accumulations in the mid to high teens, with Coney Island receiving 16 inches. In New Jersey, Freehold reported 22 inches, and both New London, Connecticut, and North Kingstown, Rhode Island, saw 17 inches.

Blizzard warnings extended from Maryland to Maine. Push notifications warned New York City residents on Sunday night of a ban on all non-emergency travel until noon Monday, due to the “dangerous blizzard conditions.” Similar restrictions were put in place in Rhode Island and New Jersey.

Monday also brought significant disruptions to air travel, with over 5,000 flights canceled across the country, particularly in New York, New Jersey, and Boston.

Forecasters predict that the ongoing heavy snowfall and strong winds may lead to power outages. As of Monday morning, approximately 80,000 customers in New Jersey experienced power loss shortly after 1:39 a.m. local time.