Tens of millions of people will be affected by a severe snowstorm in the Northeast set to begin Sunday.
The National Weather Service said nearly 54 million people from the Central Appalachians to Coastal Maine people are under winter storm or blizzard warnings. The storm is expected to reach peak intensity Monday morning, with heavy blowing snow from Philadelphia to Boston, though conditions should begin to improve by the afternoon.
Meteorologists say weather conditions will cause a bomb cyclone, or large storm that strengthens rapidly over a 24-hour period, between Sunday and Monday.
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“This will be a ‘blockbuster blizzard’ with some of the most extreme snowstorm impacts people in the Northeast have seen in years. In the heaviest snow bands, there can be thunder and lightning with snowfall rates of 2 to 4 inches per hour, overwhelming plow crews and make it nearly impossible to keep roads passable,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said.
Portions of New Jersey and Long Island, New York, as well as parts of southeastern New England, could see 18-24 inches of snow, AccuWeather predicted.
“When combined with strong wind gusts upwards of 40-70 mph, blizzard conditions will quickly materialize from the Eastern Shore of Maryland through southeastern New England, making travel extremely treacherous in these areas,” the NWS said.
Wind gusts over 50 mph can result in near-whiteout conditions, Porter said, and cause drifting where the snow is not as wet. Those in Southeast New England, eastern Long Island and southern New Jersey could face a combination of wet snow and winds strong enough to bring down tree branches and power lines, he warned.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said, despite the partial government shutdown affecting her department, it is working with state and local authorities to coordinate and prepare for the storm.
Local officials also urged caution and for people to stay in if they live by affected areas.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for multiple counties, and activated the state’s National Guard. New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill made an emergency declaration for 21 counties, too.
“As with every weather event, our state agencies are equipped with the resources they need to respond to the developing storm and keep everyone informed,” Hochul said. “I encourage everyone to take action, stay vigilant and always monitor your local forecast for real-time updates.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a travel ban for residents that starts at 9 p.m. Sunday and ends 12 p.m. Monday. This means streets, highways and bridges in NYC will be closed to traffic, with exemptions for essential or emergency purposes. “Non-essential city offices and services,” including libraries, are set to be closed to the public.
“Please, for your safety, stay home, stay inside and stay off the roads,” Mamdani said.
New York City schools are closed Monday, giving students their first “traditional” snow day since 2019, with no remote learning. Boston Schools are also closing as well.
Buildings at the school district of Philadelphia will also be closed, but class is still in session via virtual learning.
More than 1,000 personnel and over 800 pieces of equipment will be deployed in the midst of the storm in Philadelphia. City officials checked and there are 25,000 tons of salt that’s on reserve, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said at a press conference Sunday.
“Mother Nature has spoken again and made it clear that winter is not over,” Parker said.
