A powerful winter storm is sweeping across the Northeast, dumping more than two feet of snow in several areas and triggering the first blizzard warning for New York City in nearly a decade.
Wind gusts reaching up to 80 mph, combined with heavy snowfall, are battering New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, creating dangerous travel conditions, widespread power outages and major flight disruptions.
Rhode Island Travel Ban Remains in Effect
In Rhode Island, Gov. Dan McKee announced that the statewide travel ban will remain in effect and will be reassessed Tuesday morning. The order prohibits all non-essential motor vehicle travel on roads across the state.
More than 42,000 customers remain without power. Gregory Cornett, president of Rhode Island Energy, warned that restoring electricity will likely take several days due to impassable roads and hazardous conditions.
Massachusetts Issues Travel Ban for Hard-Hit Areas
In Massachusetts, Gov. Maura Healey implemented a travel ban for parts of the South Coast and Cape Cod, citing especially severe conditions.
“We needed to do this because this is a particularly hard-hit area,” Healey said during a press briefing, emphasizing that only essential vehicles should be on the road.
The travel restrictions apply to Plymouth, Bristol and Barnstable counties.
Thousands of Flights Canceled
The storm has severely disrupted air travel nationwide. According to FlightAware, more than 5,660 flights were canceled across the United States as of Monday afternoon, with nearly 1,900 additional cancellations already reported for Tuesday.
Airports in the New York City region, Boston and Philadelphia have been among the hardest hit. American Airlines said it expects to resume flights at New York City-area airports and Boston by late Tuesday morning. Service has already restarted in Philadelphia and at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Record-Breaking Snowfall
The storm is setting records in multiple locations.
Providence, Providence, has recorded 32.8 inches of snow as of Monday afternoon — the largest snowfall in the city’s history.
On Long Island, Islip reported 29.1 inches, marking its highest snowfall on record.
Elsewhere:
•Newark recorded more than 27 inches, its second-largest snowfall ever.
•Philadelphia saw 14 inches, its biggest snowfall in a decade.
•Central Park measured 19.7 inches, ranking as the ninth-largest snowfall in New York City history.
Forecasters warn that blowing snow and hurricane-force wind gusts will continue to reduce visibility and create life-threatening conditions into the evening hours as cleanup efforts begin across the region.
