Snow began falling over parts of the Northeastern U.S. with the onset of an intense winter storm that prompted blizzard warnings throughout the region
A man rides a bicycle in the beginning of an intense snowstorm by 20th Street and First Avenue, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Hassell)
By ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE, JULIE WALKER and ADAM GELLER – Associated Press
Updated 6 minutes ago
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City and New Jersey announced travel bans, airlines canceled thousands of flights and even Broadway shows were canceled Sunday evening as a fierce winter storm bore down on the Northeastern U.S., prompting blizzard warnings from Maryland to Massachusetts.
Snow began falling in New Jersey and New York as the storm moved northward. The National Weather Service said 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 centimeters) of snow was possible in many areas, along with heavy winds. Visibility in many areas was expected to be a quarter-mile (400 meters) or less. Officials throughout the region urged residents to avoid travel.
“It’s been a while since we’ve had a major nor’easter and major blizzard of this magnitude across the Northeast,” said Cody Snell, a meteorologist at the service’s Weather Prediction Center. “This is definitely a major winter storm and a major impact for this part of the country.”
The weather service issued blizzard warnings for New York City and Long Island, Boston and coastal communities in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. State of emergency declarations were issued in New York City and other parts of New York state, New Jersey, Delaware, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts as officials mobilized readiness efforts.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a ban on non-emergency travel on all streets from 9 p.m. ET Sunday through noon Monday, with travel restrictions planned in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and elsewhere in the region. Regional airports canceled flights ahead of the storm, and even DoorDash announced it was suspending deliveries in the city overnight.
To the south, landmarks such as the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., announced closures Monday.
Some of the heaviest snow forecast for overnight Sunday into Monday
The weather service said some of the heaviest snow was expected to fall overnight, with as much as 2 inches (5 centimeters) of snow per hour accumulating at times in some areas, before tapering off by Monday afternoon.
It said the storm’s strong wind gusts could cause whiteout conditions and warned of a “Potentially Historic/Destructive Storm” southeast of the Boston-Providence corridor.
“Winds like that, combined with heavy, wet snow, are a recipe for damaged trees and prolonged power outages,
Blizzard warnings cascade across East Coast as winter storm hits
