Flights Cancelled, Travel Ban Imposed: Americans Forced To Remain Indoors Amid Record Snowfall

Last Updated:February 23, 2026, 23:39 IST

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani imposed a travel ban, allowing only essential vehicles on the roads as the blizzard sets record snowfall in the US.

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.

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

The storm severely disrupted air travel, with more than 5,000 flights cancelled across the United States on Monday. Most cancellations were reported in New York, New Jersey and Boston.

Power outages also affected large parts of the East Coast. Over 400,000 people were left without electricity early Monday, including around 146,000 residents in Massachusetts and 123,000 in New Jersey.

‘Classic Bomb Cyclone’ Conditions

The National Weather Service said the weather system resembled a “classic bomb cyclone" off the Northeast coast. A bomb cyclone occurs when a storm’s central pressure drops by at least 24 millibars within 24 hours, leading to rapid intensification.

Schools In New York City And Boston Closed

Public schools in New York City and Boston were closed due to the emergency conditions and travel ban. Mayor Mamdani described it as the “first old-school snow day since 2019."

Several landmarks and cultural venues also shut their doors, and Broadway shows were cancelled as authorities urged residents to stay home and remain safe.

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