Blizzard puts 59 million under alert in Northeast US
A powerful winter storm is sweeping across the northeastern United States, placing nearly 59 million people under weather warnings, triggering widespread power outages and prompting a full travel ban in New York City, reports a Qazinform News Agency correspondent.
States of emergency have been declared in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey and Rhode Island, with thousands of flights canceled and major transit systems suspended. Forecasters say the nor'easter, described as the strongest in nearly a decade for parts of the region, will bring heavy snowfall, fierce winds and coastal flooding from Sunday evening through Monday.
According to the National Weather Service, snowfall rates could reach 2 to 3 inches per hour, with totals of up to 2 feet in some areas, creating “nearly impossible” travel conditions and making roads “extremely treacherous.”
New York City is under its first blizzard warning in nine years. Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a state of emergency and imposed a travel ban from 9 p.m. Sunday to noon Monday, closing schools and restricting traffic to emergency vehicles only. “The most severe snowfall is expected overnight,” he said, warning that some neighborhoods could see up to 28 inches of snow.
Governor Kathy Hochul activated about 100 National Guard members statewide, cautioning residents: “This will be something the likes of which we've not seen in years. People will be in the dark.”
Across the region, wind gusts of up to 70 mph are forecast along coastal areas, raising concerns over downed trees and further power outages.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that state of emergency had been declared for NYC and New Jersey amid blizzard alert.