Nor'easter paralyzes the U.S. Northeast, NYC travel ban and widespread school closures as warnings cover more than 40 million

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published February 23, 2026

Latest news on WhatsApp أجدد الأخبار على واتساب

A powerful nor'easter battered the U.S. Northeast, with blizzard warnings stretching from Maryland to Maine and covering major cities and corridors along I-95, placing roughly 40 million people inside blizzard warning areas.

New York City declared a state of emergency and imposed a non essential travel ban during the peak of the storm, while nearby states including New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts issued emergency orders and travel restrictions, and school buildings were closed across multiple jurisdictions.

CBS News, citing the National Weather Service, noted blizzard conditions are defined by snow or blowing snow reducing visibility to a quarter mile or less for at least three hours, combined with sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or higher.

Snow totals climbed sharply around the New York metro area, including 19.7 inches in Central Park, around 20 inches in parts of Brooklyn and Queens, and over 30 inches in parts of Long Island, with multiple New Jersey towns reporting two feet or more.

Air travel was heavily disrupted, with thousands of delays and cancellations concentrated at JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark, and further spikes in cancellations reported into Monday.

The Weather Network also warned of knock on effects for Canadian travellers on busy routes linking Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax with New York area airports, and said the system could later bring winter storm warnings into Atlantic Canada.