A powerful winter storm has slammed the U.S. Northeast forcing widespread school closures and major travel disruptions as dangerous weather conditions spread from Washington to New England. Children across the region will stay home Monday with offices and transit systems switching to emergency schedules amid warnings of heavy snow and strong winds.
In New York City the nation’s largest school district ordered all public school buildings closed for a traditional snow day cancelling after‑school programs and urging families to stay off the roads as snowfall intensified. Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a state of emergency and ordered non‑essential vehicles off city streets to keep routes clear for plows and emergency crews.
Across the Northeast officials have issued blizzard warnings with forecasts calling for up to two feet of snow and wind gusts that could reach 70 mph raising the risk of falling trees power outages and white‑out conditions. Governors in states including Massachusetts Connecticut and New Jersey have activated emergency plans mobilised the National Guard and urged residents to remain indoors.
The storm has already snarled travel along the East Coast. Thousands of flights have been cancelled at major airports and rail and bus services have been suspended in some areas as agencies adjust to hazardous conditions. The U.S. Postal Service also warned that winter weather could slow mail and package delivery across the region.
Officials said this is the region’s first major storm of the season to trigger such sweeping emergency measures with New York under its first blizzard warning since 2017. As snow continues to fall relentlessly communities brace for prolonged disruption dangerous roads and efforts to clear heavily snow‑packed streets.
