A powerful snowstorm paralyzes the U.S. East Coast, over 5,700 flights canceled

Record snowfall of up to 94 cm, state of emergency declared in several states and massive power outages.

A powerful snowstorm struck the U.S. East Coast on Monday (February 23), from Maryland to Maine, causing widespread transportation paralysis, school and business closures, and power outages affecting hundreds of thousands of residents.

The storm swept across the northeastern region with intense snowfall and strong winds, forcing millions of people to stay home. Authorities warned of dangerous travel conditions, while some areas declared a state of emergency.

According to meteorologists, this is the strongest storm to hit the region in a decade. In many areas, snowfall exceeded 60 centimeters, breaking local accumulation records. The storm disrupted public and air transportation and even led to the postponement of a United Nations Security Council meeting.

The National Weather Service reported that nearly 94 centimeters of snow fell in parts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. In New York’s Central Park, more than 19 inches of snow (around 48 centimeters) were recorded. Authorities warned that travel conditions in New York were “nearly impossible.”

More than 600,000 homes and businesses across the East Coast were left without electricity, with New Jersey and Massachusetts among the hardest-hit states. In Massachusetts, according to data from poweroutage.us, around 300,000 customers experienced outages, including 85% of customers in Barnstable County, which includes the Cape Cod area.

Rhode Island, the smallest U.S. state, appears to have received the highest snowfall during the storm. According to local media, this is the most severe storm ever to hit the state.

In Providence, the capital of Rhode Island, 91.4 centimeters of snow were recorded, breaking the previous record of 72 centimeters set in February 1978.

Authorities in Rhode Island and Connecticut imposed bans on non-essential travel.

Later in the day, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey also announced a travel ban. In an online post, she stated that the ban applied to all non-essential travel in southeastern Massachusetts and that the speed limit on the “Pike” highway was reduced to 25 km/h. She emphasized that travel conditions were extremely dangerous and warned that in the event of road blockages, emergency services might have difficulty responding.

In New York City, a travel ban temporarily brought the metropolis of more than 8 million residents to a complete standstill before the measure was lifted at midday. All roads, highways, and bridges were closed at the height of the storm.

In Connecticut and New Jersey, authorities expressed concern that falling trees and branches could worsen road conditions and cause further power outages. In Providence, a city spokesperson told The Providence Journal that more than 300 vehicles were towed because they were parked in areas where snowplows were operating.

The aviation sector was also severely affected. According to the monitoring website FlightAware, 5,706 flights within, to, or from the United States were canceled. Data show that 98% of flights from LaGuardia Airport and 91% from JFK Airport in New York were canceled. Boston’s Logan International Airport canceled 92% of departing flights, while Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey canceled 92%, and Philadelphia International Airport 80%.

Authorities warned that more than 2,000 additional flight cancellations were expected on Tuesday, with Boston and New York airports among the hardest hit.

The National Weather Service described the storm as a classic “bomb cyclone” along the northeastern coast. The term is used to describe a storm that intensifies very rapidly, when atmospheric pressure drops significantly within 24 hours, usually during autumn and winter, as a result of the collision between cold Arctic air and warmer air masses.

While the storm is moving northward and weakening in some areas, the National Weather Service announced that it is monitoring another system that could bring additional snowfall to the region later in the week.

“KORÇA BOOM”