New York City hunkers down under blizzard warnings and a travel ban as winter storm hits Northeast

Millions of residents across New York City and the northeastern United States found themselves under strict travel restrictions Monday as a powerful winter storm brought blizzard conditions to one of the country’s most densely populated regions.

The storm’s severity prompted authorities to issue wailing emergency alerts to cellphones throughout New York City Sunday night, announcing a ban on non-emergency road travel until noon Monday. Similar restrictions were quickly implemented in Rhode Island and New Jersey as officials scrambled to keep residents safe from what meteorologists described as potentially historic conditions.

“We expect things to dramatically change here heading into the overnight,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Pereira on Sunday. “The storm is continuing to develop, and as it does, as it continues to strengthen and move to the north, we’re expecting conditions to rapidly deteriorate.”

The weather service issued blizzard warnings stretching from Maryland to Maine, with forecasts calling for 1 to 2 feet of snow across many areas. Particularly concerning were predictions of intense snowfall rates reaching up to 2 inches per hour overnight in some locations, creating dangerous visibility conditions.

Pereira noted the storm could develop into what meteorologists call a “bomb cyclone” – a weather phenomenon where a storm’s pressure drops by at least 24 millibars within a 24-hour period. “We’re expecting it to drop by that magnitude at least over the course of the next 24 hours,” he explained. “I think when all is said and done, it will meet the definition of a bomb cyclone.”

The storm’s impact extended far beyond snow accumulation. Transportation systems throughout the region were severely disrupted, with regional airports reporting widespread cancellations and delays. Public transit services were suspended in multiple areas, and even food delivery services like DoorDash halted operations in New York City overnight.

Local and state governments acted swiftly to declare emergencies across the affected region. Officials in New York, Philadelphia, and states from Delaware to Massachusetts mobilized emergency response systems and urged residents to stay home and off the roads.

The education sector made significant adjustments, with public schools in New York City and Boston canceling in-person classes for Monday, while Philadelphia schools transitioned to online learning. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani described it as the “first old-school snow day since 2019,” adding a message for the city’s children: “You have a very serious mission if you choose to accept it: Stay cozy.”

As the storm intensified, social service organizations increased outreach efforts to bring homeless individuals into shelters and warming centers, recognizing the life-threatening nature of extended exposure to such harsh conditions.

Cultural institutions across the region also announced closures, including New York’s Museum of Modern Art and Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. Broadway shows canceled Sunday evening performances as the storm’s advance guard arrived in the city.

The combination of heavy snowfall and powerful winds created particular concern among weather experts. “Winds like that, combined with heavy, wet snow, are a recipe for damaged trees and prolonged power outages,” warned Bryce Williams, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Boston office. “That’s what we’re most concerned with, is the combination of those extreme snow amounts with that wind.”

New York City officials prepared extensively for the cleanup effort, recruiting additional workers to supplement their regular snow removal operations. Some crews began working Sunday night to get ahead of the accumulation.

For private snow removal contractors, the storm represented both a challenge and an opportunity. John Berlingieri, who runs Berrington Snow Management on Long Island, canceled a planned family vacation to Puerto Rico to prepare for what he anticipated would be days of round-the-clock work clearing commercial properties.

“I’m anticipating at least one week of work around the clock,” Berlingieri said as his company readied its 40 front-end loaders and other snow removal equipment. “We’re going to work 24 to 36 hours straight, sleep for a few hours and then go back.”

With the storm expected to continue through Monday before gradually tapering off in the afternoon, officials maintained their warnings about dangerous travel conditions and urged residents to exercise caution even as cleanup efforts begin.