An extreme winter onslaught has paralyzed the northeastern coast of the United States. New York, under the leadership of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, is grappling with a transportation paralysis, and thousands of flights have been canceled due to extreme weather conditions. Violent winds and snowfall have cut off power to over 400,000 customers. Utility crews are working under difficult conditions to restore power supplies and clear major transportation routes.

Transportation paralysis of the metropolis

New York has introduced a complete ban on civilian vehicular traffic, prioritizing emergency services and snowplows.

Energy crisis in the region

Over 400,000 customers in the northeastern USA remain without power due to downed power lines.

Canceled international flights

Lufthansa and Swiss have suspended flights to New York and Boston due to extreme weather conditions.

Record snowfall

Up to 40 cm of snow has been recorded in the New York area, with forecasts predicting locally up to 60 cm.

A powerful storm system with the characteristics of a winter cyclone has struck densely populated areas of the northeastern United States, causing transportation and energy chaos. The most difficult situation is in New York City, where Mayor Zohran Mamdani made an unprecedented decision to completely ban car travel on city streets. These restrictions aim to facilitate the work of snowplows and ensure the passability of emergency corridors. Public schools have switched to remote learning, and many public institutions have suspended operations. Local media report violent wind gusts which, combined with heavy snowfall, create a blizzard phenomenon, reducing visibility to almost zero. Historically, the most destructive blizzards on the US East Coast, such as the Great Blizzard of 1888, were able to completely cut off metropolises from the world for many days, leading to the construction of the first subway systems. The scale of disruption to air transport is enormous. Carriers such as Lufthansa and Swiss were forced to cancel flights to New York and Boston, affecting thousands of passengers traveling from Europe. In the United States alone, a total of over 10,000 flights have been canceled, mainly on domestic routes connecting hubs on the northeastern coast. Simultaneously, critical infrastructure has suffered due to heavy, wet snow and breaking trees. Over 400 thousand households in the region remain without power supply. Meteorological services warn that cold air will remain over the region for the coming days, which may hinder the removal of the storm's effects and the repair of downed high-voltage lines. „This is not just snow, this is a life-threatening situation. Please, stay off the roads.” — Zohran Mamdani Authorities are urging caution, especially in light of forecasted further precipitation, which in some areas could reach a total of nearly 60 centimeters of snow cover. Although main arteries in New York are being cleared as a priority, side streets remain impassable. This situation is a test for the new city administration, which must manage a crisis on a scale not seen in years.

Mentioned People

  • Zohran Mamdani — Mayor of New York City, who issued a ban on vehicular traffic in the city.