Historic Nor’easter Strikes US Northeast, 59 Million Under Weather Alerts

A historic nor’easter is battering the US northeast, affecting 59 million people with heavy snow, strong winds, and coastal flooding. States including New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware, and Rhode Island have declared emergencies, imposed travel bans, and closed schools. Snowfall of 18-28 inches (45-70cm) is expected in New York City, with power outages impacting over 150,000 people and thousands of flights canceled. The storm will continue into Monday, and authorities are urging residents to stay home and avoid travel.

A historic and powerful winter storm has begun sweeping across the northeastern United States, affecting millions of people and prompting widespread emergency measures. The storm has placed approximately 59 million people under weather alerts, disrupted daily life, caused extensive power outages, and led to a travel ban in New York City. Multiple states, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and New York, have declared states of emergency in anticipation of the severe weather. Authorities in these states have imposed travel restrictions or bans, while thousands of flights across the region have been canceled due to the dangerous conditions.
Meteorologists have warned that this nor’easter could be the most intense to strike the region in nearly a decade. The storm is expected to bring heavy snow, powerful winds, and coastal flooding to large areas, affecting both the US northeast and parts of Canada, including the Maritimes provinces. As of Monday early morning (05:00 GMT), large swaths of the northeastern US had already been blanketed with several inches of snow, with locations such as Manorville, New York, and Howell, New Jersey reporting 10 inches (25cm) of accumulation. The US National Weather Service (NWS) has forecasted snowfall rates of 2-3 inches (5-7cm) per hour, with total snow accumulation potentially reaching 1-2 feet (30-60cm) in some areas. These conditions have been described as creating “extremely treacherous” and “nearly impossible” travel situations.
Approximately 40 million people are under blizzard warnings, while another 19 million are under winter storm warnings. The affected areas extend from the Central Appalachians in North Carolina up to coastal Maine. Cody Snell, a meteorologist at the NWS’s Weather Prediction Center, highlighted that while nor’easters are common in the region, a storm of this magnitude across such a heavily populated area has not been seen in several years.
Power outages have already affected more than 150,000 people in the northeastern states, including 60,000 in New Jersey. Tens of thousands more are without electricity in Virginia, Delaware, and Maryland, according to the power tracking website PowerOutage.us. The storm has also disrupted air travel, with approximately 5,500 flights canceled on Sunday and hundreds more delayed, according to monitor FlightAware.
Snowfall began on Sunday evening in several major cities, including Boston, Philadelphia, and New York City, where the most severe conditions are expected. For the first time in nine years, New York City has been placed under a blizzard warning. The city is forecast to receive 18-24 inches (50-60cm) of snow, with temperatures dropping to around 20F (-6C). Some areas could see up to 28 inches (70cm) of snow. A full travel ban was implemented from Sunday 21:00 local time to Monday noon, during which all streets, highways, and bridges will be closed to non-emergency traffic. Schools were closed across the city, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani emphasized that residents should prepare for the heaviest snowfall overnight into Monday.
Along the coast, wind gusts are expected to reach 65-70 mph (104-112 km/h), raising the risk of downed tree limbs and additional power outages. New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for the entire state and put 100 National Guard members on ready alert. She warned residents that widespread power outages were likely, particularly in Long Island, New York City, and the lower Hudson Valley, which are in the direct path of the storm. Broadway shows scheduled for Sunday evening were canceled, and the New York Racing Association canceled eight horse races at the Aqueduct Racetrack.
Other states are taking similar measures. In Rhode Island, Governor Dan McKee issued a statewide travel ban and authorized the activation of the National Guard if necessary, while also closing state government offices on Monday. Governor McKee urged residents to take the storm seriously and stay home. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency, suspended public transportation, and warned that this could be the worst storm in the state since 1996. She advised residents to stay off the roads. In Connecticut, Governor Ned Lamont issued an emergency order halting all commercial vehicles from traveling on highways until further notice. Massachusetts, Delaware, and Rhode Island have also declared states of emergency, with Boston closing schools in anticipation of the storm. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro issued a disaster declaration to ensure state agencies have the resources needed to respond and protect residents.
Even areas near the nation’s capital, Washington DC, are taking precautions. While the city itself is not expected to face the worst of the storm, surrounding school districts have announced closures, and federal government offices have delayed start times or allowed employees to work remotely or take unscheduled leave.
In Canada, Nova Scotia’s east coast is expected to experience severe impacts from the storm. Many areas are under amber weather warnings beginning Monday morning, indicating the potential for widespread power outages, roof damage, and falling debris. These warnings are in effect until early Tuesday.
This historic nor’easter is forecast to continue from Sunday evening through Monday, affecting large portions of the US northeast and the Maritimes provinces. Authorities are urging residents to stay indoors, avoid travel, and remain vigilant as emergency response teams work to manage the widespread impacts of the storm.