New York Braces For Major Snowstorm, Mayor Declares ‘State Of Emergency’, Travel Ban

Last Updated:February 23, 2026, 08:30 IST

While addressing a press briefing, the mayor said that from 9pm Sunday to 12pm Monday (local time) all city streets, highways and bridges will be closed to non-emergency traffic.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Sunday declared a citywide state of emergency and ordered a blanket travel ban ahead of a powerful blizzard expected to hit the region.

While addressing a press conference, the mayor said that from 9pm Sunday to 12pm Monday (local time) all city streets, highways and bridges will be closed to non-emergency traffic.

The restriction applies to all vehicles, including cars, trucks, scooters and e-bikes, with narrow exemptions granted only for essential emergency movements and critical service workers.

“We are asking New Yorkers to avoid all non essential travel," he said, adding “New York City has not faced a storm of this scale in the last decade," Fox News reported.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has also declared a state of emergency, and city agencies have mobilised snow removal teams, including recruiting temporary shovelers to clear public spaces as the historic winter storm intensifies.

New York City and much of the Northeast are bracing for a historic winter storm, as meteorologists warn that a powerful blizzard could blanket the region in feet of snow, disrupt travel, and create life-threatening conditions. The city has issued a blizzard warning for the first time in nearly 10 years, underscoring the severity of the approaching storm.

The National Weather Service has issued blizzard warnings for over 40 million Americans, forecasting up to two feet of snow in New York City, Boston and Philadelphia, along with wind gusts reaching 60 mph. Authorities cautioned that heavy snowfall combined with strong winds could lead to widespread power outages, coastal flooding and dangerous travel conditions.

Forecasters predict up to 1.5 feet (46 cm) of snow in and around New York City, including Long Island. This is the city’s first blizzard warning since 2017.

Air travel across the Northeast has been severely disrupted. Major airports including John F Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and Boston Logan International Airport reported widespread cancellations, with thousands of US flights scrapped or delayed.

Air India cancelled all flights to and from New York and Newark for Monday, citing passenger safety, while Delta Air Lines also announced flight cancellations.

Washington DC and Baltimore are currently under a winter storm watch as authorities prepare for worsening weather across the region.

(With inputs from agencies)

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