Historic winter storm batters northeastern US; 11,000 flights canceled, 500,000 without power

More than 40 million people were under weather alerts at the height of the storm, which blanketed major cities from Virginia to Massachusetts in heavy, wind-driven snow.

• Record snowfall hits Northeast US, disrupting travel and power
• Over 11,000 flights canceled; schools and roads closed
• Cleanup ongoing as outages and icy roads may persist for days

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A powerful winter storm that dumped record-breaking snowfall across the Northeastern U.S. began tapering off late Monday; however, widespread disruption to travel, power supply, and daily life is expected to linger for days.

More than 40 million people were under weather alerts at the height of the storm, which blanketed major cities from Virginia to Massachusetts in heavy, wind-driven snow. Authorities imposed travel bans, shut schools and suspended transport services as blizzard conditions gripped the region.

In New York City, nearly 20 inches (50 cm) of snow fell in Central Park between Sunday and Monday, the city’s heaviest single-storm total in over a decade. Parts of Long Island recorded even more, with Islip measuring over 22 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

The storm proved historic in Providence, where 32.8 inches of snow set a new state record, surpassing the benchmark established during the infamous Blizzard of 1978.

Powerful wind gusts compounded the impact. Speeds reached 47 mph at John F. Kennedy International Airport and as high as 70 mph across the Massachusetts islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, creating whiteout conditions in several coastal communities.

Officials across the region have urged residents to stay off the roads. Massachusetts reported abandoned vehicles as plow crews struggled to clear highways. In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani ordered nonessential vehicles off the streets and temporarily closed schools, highways and bridges before lifting some restrictions later in the day.

Air travel was severely disrupted.

According to FlightAware data, more than 11,000 US flights scheduled between Sunday and Tuesday were canceled, with New York’s three major airports and Boston Logan among the hardest hit. Rail services were also curtailed, including suspended Amtrak routes between New York and Boston.

Major transit hubs such as Grand Central Terminal were unusually quiet, while typically bustling tourist zones like Times Square stood largely deserted.

Heavy, wet snow brought down trees and power lines, knocking out electricity to more than 500,000 homes and businesses at peak impact. Massachusetts accounted for the largest share of outages, followed by New Jersey. Utility companies warned that additional outages remained possible as snow-laden branches continued to threaten overhead lines.

The extreme weather initially sent US natural gas futures sharply higher in Asian trading on expectations of increased heating demand. However, gains were pared during US hours as widespread outages dampened real-time electricity consumption.

On grids serving the East Coast, wholesale power prices remained relatively subdued compared to last month’s storm, as many businesses and schools remained closed, curbing demand.

However, despite the disruption, many New Yorkers ventured outdoors once conditions eased. Children sledded through Central Park’s snow-covered slopes, while some residents cross-country skied along city streets.

Meanwhile, others expressed fatigue after enduring the region’s second major winter storm in weeks. The previous system had been linked to more than 100 deaths nationwide, following which officials issued especially urgent warnings ahead of this latest blast.

As per forecasters, snowfall had started diminishing across New York by Monday afternoon, with conditions steadily improving. Meteorologists have, however, cautioned that another weaker system could brush the Mid-Atlantic later this week, anticipated to bring fresh accumulation. A more significant storm is also expected to develop by mid-next week, though projections remain uncertain as of now.

For now, authorities across the Northeast continue cleanup operations, warning that icy roads, grounded flights, and scattered outages could persist well after skies clear.