A complete travel ban has been imposed in New York city and a state of emergency has been declared as heavy snowstorm has begun battering the northeastern United States, placing nearly 59 million people under weather alerts and triggering widespread power.
States of emergency have been declared in several states, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. Many of these states have imposed travel restrictions or outright bans as blizzard conditions intensify, and thousands of flights have been cancelled.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Sunday (February 22, 2026) ordered the shutdown of the city’s entire transportation network, allowing only emergency travel, as the massive snowstorm moved into the region.
Forecasters warn that much of the northeastern US and the Canadian Maritimes will be affected from Sunday evening through Monday. The system is expected to be the strongest nor’easter to hit the region in nearly a decade, bringing heavy snowfall, powerful winds, and the risk of coastal flooding.
The National Weather Service (NWS) cautioned that blizzard conditions would rapidly develop from Maryland to southeastern New England, making travel extremely dangerous. Snowfall rates could reach two to three inches per hour at the height of the storm, affecting nearly 54 million people.
By Sunday evening, the storm had already reduced visibility in New York City to near-zero levels, with Wall Street skyscrapers barely visible from Brooklyn. Heavy snow and strong wind gusts are expected to cause additional power outages. As of 7:30 p.m. local time, at least 22,895 customers in New Jersey were without electricity, according to poweroutage.us.
In New York City, home to more than eight million residents, streets, highways, and bridges were scheduled to close from 9:00 p.m. Sunday until noon Monday.
State of emergency declared
Mayor Mamdani declared a state of emergency, noting that the city has not experienced a storm of this magnitude in the past decade. He urged residents to avoid all non-essential travel. The restrictions do not apply to essential workers or those facing emergencies.
The NWS warned that heavy snow, strong winds, and poor visibility would create dangerous to impossible travel conditions. Wind gusts of up to 60 miles (100 kilometers) per hour were forecast from late Sunday into Monday.
In Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu ordered public schools and municipal buildings closed on Monday (February 23, 2026). She urged residents to prepare in advance, stay warm, and remain off the roads to support public safety and public works operations.
Forecasters also warned of moderate to major coastal flooding from Delaware to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, potentially affecting waterfront roads and properties.
The storm arrives only weeks after the region recovered from another severe winter system that was linked to more than 100 deaths.
