Northeast Blizzard Grounds Flights
A powerful nor'easter is dumping up to two feet of snow across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast US, prompting New York State to declare a state of emergency. The storm has caused hundreds of flight cancellations and significant delays, with airlines waiving change fees for affected passengers. The disruption is rippling across major US airports and affecting international connections.
- This powerful nor'easter is also classified as a "bomb cyclone" because its atmospheric pressure dropped more than 24 millibars in 24 hours, a phenomenon known as bombogenesis. - As of Monday morning, nearly 650,000 customers were without power across seven northeastern states, with utilities warning that restoration could take several days due to the ongoing hazardous conditions. - The storm has led to the cancellation of over 11,000 flights nationwide, with major hubs like New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia suspending most of their operations. - The state of emergency in New York involves a ban on non-essential travel in New York City and several counties, the activation of 100 National Guard members, and the deployment of 5,200 sanitation workers. - Some snowfall totals have been historic, with Warwick, Rhode Island, reporting a record-breaking 36.2 inches. - Wind gusts have reached hurricane strength in some coastal areas, with Wellfleet, Massachusetts, recording a peak gust of 98 mph. - The combination of heavy, wet snow and high winds has led to blizzard conditions being officially confirmed at 19 weather stations from New York to Massachusetts. - This event is drawing comparisons to the Blizzard of 1978, which also brought record snowfall and coastal flooding to New England, and the Great Blizzard of 1888, which shut down major cities and led to significant infrastructure changes like the creation of Boston's first subway.
