A powerful snowstorm disrupted lives across the northeastern United States on Monday, forcing millions of people to remain indoors. In several areas, snowfall reached up to 22 inches, creating severe travel disruptions and bringing daily life to a halt.
The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that the combination of intense snowfall, powerful wind gusts and near-zero visibility could make travel “dangerous to impossible". It described the system as a “Potentially Historic/Destructive Storm" and said blizzard conditions were likely across several states.
Snow Accumulation Reaches Record Levels
By 7 AM local time, parts of New York had recorded significant snowfall. Islip reported the highest accumulation at 22.5 inches. Newark received 18.3 inches, while Central Park and LaGuardia Airport both recorded 15.1 inches. JFK Airport saw 15 inches of snow, according to the NWS.
A major snowstorm has put millions in New York City and the US Northeast under travel bans and blizzard warnings.Flights have been grounded, hundreds of thousands lost power, and officials warn travel is “nearly impossible."pic.twitter.com/8TLeaLxtqU
— Usama (@MrUsamaKhokhar)February 23, 2026
Travel Ban And State Of Emergency
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani imposed a travel ban, allowing only essential vehicles on the roads. Declaring a state of emergency, he said, “New York City has not faced a storm of this scale in the last decade." He added, “We are asking New Yorkers to avoid all non-essential travel," according to the Associated Press.
Blizzard warnings were issued from Maryland to Maine as the storm intensified. Emergencies were declared in major cities including New York and Philadelphia, along with several states stretching from Delaware to Massachusetts.
Flights Cancelled, Power Outages Widespread
Source: World News in news18.com, World Latest News, World News
