Northeast US digs out from brutal snowstorm that disrupted flights and canceled school

Millions across the northeastern United States struggled Tuesday to resume normal routines as they dug out from a powerful winter storm that shattered records in some areas, leaving behind snowdrifts that complicated travel and closed schools throughout the region.

The storm, described by meteorologists as the strongest to hit the Northeast in a decade, dumped more than two feet of snow across multiple states. Rhode Island saw accumulations exceeding three feet, surpassing totals from the historic Blizzard of 1978, according to the National Weather Service.

As residents contended with the aftermath, tragedy struck in Newport, Rhode Island, where 21-year-old Salve Regina University student Joseph Boutros was found unconscious in a snow-covered vehicle Monday night. He was later pronounced dead due to carbon monoxide poisoning, local police reported.

The scale of the snowfall was immense. Meteorologist Ryan Maue, former chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, calculated that if all the snow that fell from Maryland to Maine were piled on Manhattan, it would tower over a mile high. When melted, the snow would produce approximately 2.5 trillion gallons of water – enough to fill the Empire State Building more than 9,000 times.

By Tuesday morning, roads began reopening and public transportation resumed in some cities. Power was restored to many of the hundreds of thousands who had lost electricity across Massachusetts, New Jersey, Delaware, and Rhode Island. However, more than 100,000 residents in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, remained without power, as the region operates on what Douglas Foley, president of electric operations for utility Eversource, described as “essentially a single circuit.”

The storm forced numerous flight cancellations, with approximately 2,200 flights in and out of the United States canceled on Tuesday according to FlightAware. The cancellations primarily affected airports in New York, New Jersey, and Boston. Rhode Island’s T.F. Green International Airport halted all flights Monday after receiving nearly 38 inches of snow.

School districts across the region made varying decisions about whether to resume classes. Boston and Hartford, Connecticut, kept their schools closed, while Philadelphia opted for online learning. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, however, decided to reopen the nation’s largest public school system, affecting more than 900,000 students.

The decision proved controversial among parents and teachers. “We’re walking on thin ice here. One more day would’ve been fine,” said Danielle Obloj, parent of a Brooklyn fifth grader. “They should never have let these kids come back to school.” Nearly one in six teachers called out sick Tuesday, prompting officials to summon more than 5,000 substitutes. Preliminary data showed only 63% student attendance, significantly below the typical 90% average.

Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels defended the decision, noting that families rely on in-person school not only for education but also so parents can work. They also cited logistical challenges in implementing remote learning immediately after a midwinter break.

As cleanup efforts continued, cities deployed specialized equipment. New York City prepared to activate snow melters—massive basins of warm water where large amounts of snow and ice will be dumped. During last month’s storm, these melters helped process 23 million pounds of snow. In Providence, Rhode Island, officials designated five locations for snow removal, with the possibility of adding more sites due to the overwhelming accumulation.

The snow removal strategy in Providence has drawn criticism from State Rep. David Morales, who objected to the city’s use of a vacant lot in South Providence—an area he described as “the most polluted part of the city” and home to a dense population of people of color.

Even as residents were still digging out, the National Weather Service warned of another approaching storm originating in the Great Lakes. While not expected to be as severe as Monday’s blizzard, the clipper system could bring additional snow and rain to the region by Wednesday, potentially complicating cleanup efforts in hard-hit areas.

The massive storm also resulted in some unexpected consequences, including a large snowball fight in New York City’s Washington Square Park where video showed police officers being pelted with snowballs. City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch condemned the behavior as “disgraceful” and “criminal.”

The weather disruptions even affected the justice system, forcing a juror in a high-profile sex trafficking trial in Manhattan federal court to be dismissed after becoming “trapped in Miami” due to flight cancellations. “I am loath to lose another juror, but I am also loath to lose another week of trial,” Judge Valerie Caproni remarked.

As the region continues recovery efforts, meteorologists and emergency management officials are keeping a close eye on the approaching weather system, urging residents to remain prepared for potentially challenging conditions in the days ahead.