Washington: A major winter storm swept across the US Northeast, triggering travel bans, school closures, and thousands of flight cancellations as heavy snow and powerful winds battered cities from Washington DC to Boston.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued warnings for a “Major Winter Storm for the Northeast,” predicting heavy snow across the northern Mid-Atlantic and New England through Monday. Snowfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour were expected, with some areas receiving up to two feet of snow, creating nearly impossible travel conditions.

Blizzard warnings were issued throughout the region. The Weather Channel reported that the NWS in New York City called it “a potentially historic blizzard,” underscoring the severity of the storm.

New York City imposed a travel ban from 9 pm Sunday until noon Monday. Mayor Zoharan Mamdani said, “New York City has not faced a storm of this scale in the last decade. We are asking New Yorkers to avoid all nonessential travel.” Schools will remain closed on Monday, marking the city’s first “old-school snow day” since 2019.

New Jersey also enforced a travel ban starting at 9 pm, while Rhode Island urged residents to stay off roads from 7 pm. Several states declared emergencies as the storm intensified.

Air travel disruption has been severe. According to The Wall Street Journal, airlines cancelled nearly 8,000 flights on Sunday and Monday, primarily affecting New York and Boston. At LaGuardia and JFK airports, almost half of the Sunday flights were cancelled. The New York Times reported that over 3,500 domestic and international flights had been scrapped by Sunday afternoon.

Boston and eastern Massachusetts are forecast to receive up to two feet of snow, with wind gusts reaching 75 mph. The NWS in Boston described it as “potentially historic and destructive.”

In Washington DC, several inches of wet snow were expected, prompting federal agencies to announce a two-hour delay, with many schools closing or delaying openings.

Forecasters also warned of coastal flooding risks from Delaware to Cape Cod due to strong onshore winds. The NWS cautioned that flooding could be severe enough to cause structural damage and widespread roadway inundation.

Nearly 54 million people from the central Appalachians to coastal Maine remain under winter storm or blizzard warnings. The storm is expected to move out of northern New England by Tuesday morning.

IANS