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A powerful winter storm is roiling travel across the northeastern U.S.
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− By
The Associated Press
Pedestrians cross 42nd Street near Bryant Park on Monday during a snow storm in New York.
+ By
The Associated Press
A piece of the New York skyline rises above a pile of snow on the Weekhawken, N.J.
− Seth Wenig/AP hide caption
Heavy snow, strong winds and blizzard warnings have prompted transportation shutdowns, forcing millions of people to stay home.
+ waterfront, Monday, Feb.
− Air traffic is also coming to a standstill in much of the much of the region, with thousands of flight cancellations piling up across major hubs like New York and Boston.
+ 23, 2026.
− And trains have suspended some of their service.
+ Seth Wenig/AP hide caption
NEW YORK — A massive snowstorm pummeled the northeastern United States from Maryland to Maine on Monday, forcing millions of people to stay home amid strong wind and blizzard warnings, transportation shutdowns, and school and business closures.
− The National Weather Service on Monday called travel conditions "extremely treacherous" and "nearly impossible" in areas hit hardest by the storm.
+ Meteorologists said the storm is the strongest in a decade, dumping more than 2 feet (60 centimeters) of snow in parts of the metropolitan Northeast, shattering accumulation records in places, immobilizing transit and even leading the United Nations to postpone a Security Council meeting. Officials declared emergencies, schools closed, including in New York City, which had its first "old-school" snow day in six years, and people grappled with power failures.
− Here's what we know.
+ Even as the snow moved northward and tapered off in other areas, the National Weather Service said it is tracking another storm that could bring more snow to the region later this week.
− Thousands of flight disruptions piled up Monday morning.
+ The weather service referred to Monday's storm as a "classic bomb cyclone/nor'easter off the Northeast coast." A bomb cyclone happens when a storm's pressure falls by a certain amount within a 24-hour period, occurring mainly in the fall and winter when frigid Arctic air can reach the south and clash with warmer temperatures.
While it was paralyzing and potentially dangerous for millions along the Eastern Seaboard, meteorologists found themselves rhapsodizing over the combination of power and beauty.
The storm hit the "Goldilocks situation" of just the right temperature for wet, heavy snow: Any warmer and its precipitation wouldn't have fallen as snow, any colder and there wouldn't have been as much moisture in the air to feed that snowfall, said Owen Shieh, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center in Maryland.
In Lower Manhattan, snow shovelers appeared to outnumber commuting office workers, and pedestrians walked freely in streets normally blocked by morning traffic.
"It's very quiet, except for the howling winds," said Luis Valez, a concierge at a residential tower just off Wall Street, as he cleared the sidewalk.
− As of around 12:30 p.m.
+ "A couple of residents have gone out to get their essentials.
− ET, more than 5,600 flights in or out of the U.S.
+ Other than that, there's nothing."
Matthew Wojtkowiak, 57, an attorney, was also shoveling in his Brooklyn neighborhood.
"I'm from the Midwest, so this is in the zone," he said.
− were canceled, according to online tracker FlightAware. Hundreds of others were delayed.
+ "Not too bad, not too easy, either."
Schools were closed, and he said he hoped people would get out and enjoy the snow.
− New York's John F.
+ Hannah and Astrid Grimskog play in Times Square during a snow storm, Monday, Feb.
− Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport had the highest numbers of cancellations Monday — followed by airports in Boston, Newark, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.; Rhode Island's T.F.
+ 23, 2026, in New York.
− Green International Airport also announced Monday that it was temporarily suspending all of its airport operations.
+ Seth Wenig/AP hide caption
"We have sleds at the ready," he said.
− More than 4,000 U.S.
+ Karen Smith and Adele Bawden are tourists visiting New York from the United Kingdom.
"We've been dancing in Times Square this morning in the middle of the road in rush hour," Bawden said.
− flights were previously canceled Sunday. And over 1,700 trips scheduled for Tuesday have already been cut, in disruptions that could continue to climb.
+ "We've just been dancing and not believing we could do it."
Ingrid Devita said she liked to patrol the Lower East Side on skis, checking on people who might need help.
− The Federal Aviation Administration urged travelers to monitor updates and check with airlines and airports on the status of their flights.
+ "I find people fall in the snow and they can't get up," she said.
− Short Wave How scientists predict big winter storms U.S.
+ Central Park in New York City recorded 19 inches (48 centimeters) of snow.
− airlines are required to provide refunds for flight cancellations.
+ Warwick, Rhode Island, exceeded 3 feet (91 centimeters), topping the nation so far.
− Or, when airlines expect bad weather to create problems for flights, they often give travelers a chance to postpone their trips by a few days without having to pay a fee.
+ The highest wind gust of 83 mph (133 kph) was recorded in Nantucket, with hurricane-force gusts seen all over Cape Cod.
In Connecticut, crews at the Mystic Seaport Museum prepared to clear snow from a fleet of historic ships, including the 113-foot-long Charles W.
− Carriers like JetBlue, Delta Southwest and American are already offering options for select impacted customers to rebook their trips at no cost.
+ Morgan, a wooden whaling ship from the 19th century American merchant fleet.
− Air travelers aren't only seeing winter weather disruptions this week.
+ Shannon McKenzie, vice president of watercraft operations and preservation, said shipyard staff will clear the snow by hand using rubber or plastic shovels because machinery or metal shovels could damage the boats.
New York, Philadelphia and other cities, as well as several states, declared emergencies.
More than 5,600 flights in and out of the United States were canceled Monday, and a further 2,000 flights scheduled for Tuesday were grounded, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.
− As part of a partial government shutdown, the Department of Homeland Security suspended its Global Entry program over the weekend, which typically allows pre-approved travelers to use expedited kiosks when entering the U.S.
+ Most of the cancelations involved airports in New York, New Jersey and Boston.
− from abroad.
+ Almost 2,500 flights were delayed.
Short Wave How scientists predict big winter storms Rhode Island's T.F.
− The department had previously planned to halt the Transportation Security Administration's PreCheck program as well, but canceled that closure.
+ Green International Airport announced Monday that it was temporarily ending all airport operations. The Weather Service reported that the facility got nearly 38 inches (96.5 centimeters) of snow, breaking a record set in 1978.
− And after the Mexican army killed Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes on Sunday, several airlines canceled flights or issued other travel advisories for airports in cites like Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara, where government officials are also urging residents to stay inside their homes.
+ Public transit ground to a halt in some areas, while DoorDash suspended deliveries in New York City overnight into Monday.
− Beyond air traffic, winter weather in the U.S. is prompting travel shutdowns on the road.
+ Meteorologists said strong winds and heavy, wet snow are a recipe for damaged trees and prolonged power outages.
− Millions of people under blizzard warnings are facing bans on non-emergency travel. On Sunday night, cellphones across New York City received wailing push alerts announcing a ban on non-emergency travel on all streets through noon Monday, due to "dangerous blizzard conditions." Rhode Island and New Jersey implemented similar restrictions.
+ More than 450,000 utility customers nationwide remained in darkness Monday evening, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages nationwide.
− Heather Khalifa/AP hide caption
Public transit ground to a halt in some areas, or saw significant disruptions.
+ Heather Khalifa/AP hide caption
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said Monday evening that subway lines are mostly operational after earlier delays, with the exception of the hard-hit borough of Staten Island, where rail service remained suspended. Delays would likely continue on lines that run outdoors.
− As of midday Monday, New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority said that it had "removed articulated buses from service during the storm" and that there may be delays on the subway, especially for routes running outdoors.
+ Commuter rail service to suburbs to the north and east of the city were expected to resume limited service ahead of the Tuesday morning commute, the MTA said.
− The Long Island Rail Road also temporarily suspended all services until further notice.
+ Bus commuters should also expect long wait times.
− In Boston, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority also reduced service for its subway, bus and commuter rails.
+ Outreach workers meanwhile tried to coax homeless New Yorkers into shelters and warming centers.
− Longer passenger rail routes across the Northeast are also seeing disruptions.
+ Various landmarks and cultural institutions were closed Monday, including New York's Museum of Modern Art and the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. Broadway shows were canceled Sunday evening.
− Amtrak announced that it would be suspending all service between New York Moynihan Train Hall and Boston South Station until at least 4 p.m.
+ New York City and Boston canceled public school classes for Monday, while Philadelphia switched to online learning.
− ET on Monday.
+ Districts on Long Island and elsewhere in the New York suburbs said they would cancel school for a second day on Tuesday.
But New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said class would be back in person.
Officials in one of the city's Republican strongholds criticized the Democratic mayor's move.
− Other routes also saw disruptions.
+ Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella said schools should remain closed because roads are impassable and sidewalks are blocked.
− Amtrak said impacted customers would be notified directly and have the chance to rebook or request refunds.
+ The teacher's union, the United Federation of Teachers, advised its members to be cautious and put their safety first when deciding whether to report to work.
− In a statement, Amtrak said that the safety of its customers and employees "remains our highest priority" — and that taking such measures "help limit exposure to hazardous conditions, protect our equipment, and support guidance from state and local authorities advising limited travel during and after the storm."
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+ The Picture Show In pictures: Winter storm slams the east coast Spokespersons for Mamdani didn't respond to an email seeking comment but his schools chief defended the decision on social media.
Chancellor Kamar Samuels said the district "couldn't be 100% certain" that every student would have access to the devices they needed for remote learning, despite school officials' "best efforts" to distribute them ahead of the storm.
"We are confident in our decision to reopen," he wrote on X. "Our schools and city are ready to welcome students and staff back tomorrow."
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