Winter storm disrupts Northeast US, causing widespread outages

International

Heavy snowfall, travel bans and flight cancellations affect major cities

A powerful winter storm swept across the Northeastern United States on Monday, bringing heavy snowfall, strong winds and significant disruptions to transport and infrastructure. More than 500,000 customers were left without electricity as the system intensified rapidly off the Mid-Atlantic coast.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the storm generated blizzard conditions in several states, with snowfall rates reaching 2 to 3 inches per hour and wind gusts of up to 70 miles per hour in some areas. Meteorologists warned that coastal communities could see total snow accumulations of one to two feet before the storm system moves further into eastern Canada.

Hundreds of thousands affected by power outages

Data from PowerOutage.us indicated widespread service interruptions across the region. Massachusetts recorded 250,651 outages, followed by more than 137,000 in New Jersey and 76,357 in Delaware. Rhode Island and New York also reported tens of thousands of customers without electricity.

The scale of the outages reflects the storm’s intensity, as heavy snow and strong winds placed considerable strain on power infrastructure.

Snowfall totals rise rapidly

Snow accumulations increased quickly throughout the day. The National Weather Service reported 19.2 inches of snow in Mount Holly, New Jersey, while Trenton recorded 15.6 inches. Philadelphia registered 13.7 inches as conditions deteriorated across the urban corridor.

New York City Emergency Management stated that between 5 and 7 inches of snow had already fallen by early Monday, with snowfall rates expected to intensify overnight.

Travel restrictions and hazardous conditions

Authorities in New York City initially imposed a travel ban, restricting non-essential vehicles from operating on city streets, highways and bridges. The measure aimed to reduce traffic risks amid worsening visibility and road conditions.

At a Monday news conference, Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed that the travel ban had been lifted, although a hazardous travel advisory remained in effect. “New York remains in a state of emergency,” Mamdani said, urging residents to avoid unnecessary journeys.

He also announced that schools in New York would reopen on Tuesday.

Severe disruption to air travel

Airports across the Northeast experienced extensive cancellations. FlightAware data showed 1,097 canceled flights at John F. Kennedy International Airport and 1,029 at LaGuardia. Boston Logan International Airport reported 971 cancellations, while Newark Liberty International recorded 966.

Philadelphia International Airport registered 604 canceled flights, leaving thousands of passengers stranded as airlines adjusted schedules in response to the storm.

The storm highlights the continued vulnerability of densely populated regions to extreme winter weather, particularly in terms of transport networks and energy supply.