The northeastern United States is grappling with the effects of a severe snowstorm, referred to as Storm Hernando. The winter onslaught has led to the cancellation of thousands of flights, school closures, and massive power grid failures affecting over 400,000 customers. A state of emergency has been declared in New York City alone, with snowfall in the region considered among the most severe in the past decade.

Air Traffic Paralysis

A total of approximately 5,000 flights on the East Coast were canceled, including numerous transatlantic connections with Europe.

Crisis in the Energy Sector

Over 400,000 customers in northeastern states are without power following grid failures.

State of Emergency in New York

City authorities declared a state of emergency, urging residents to stay home due to extreme snowfall.

The northeastern region of the United States has been paralyzed by an extreme snowstorm affecting nearly 40 million residents. The phenomenon, called Storm Hernando by meteorologists, brought record snowfall and gusty winds reaching hurricane-force speeds at their peak. The most difficult situation is in the states of New York, New Jersey, and New England. In the New York metropolitan area, Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a state of emergency, and police are appealing to residents to avoid non-essential travel. Despite no formal ban on vehicular traffic, many roads and bridges remain impassable. The New York administration has been systematically modernizing crisis management protocols for over a hundred years in response to winter catastrophes. A historic breakthrough occurred after the blizzard of 1888, when the city decided to move overhead telegraph cables and railway lines underground, laying the foundation for the modern subway system. The crisis has particularly affected the energy sector. According to current data, over 400,000 households have lost access to electricity due to downed transmission lines and damaged transformers. Technical services are working in extreme conditions trying to restore power, but snowdrifts hinder access to many fault locations. Simultaneously, air transport has been paralyzed. JFK, Newark, and LaGuardia airports have become campsites for thousands of travelers. The total number of canceled flights across the United States approached 5,000 in just the last 24 hours, amounting to about 9,500 canceled flight operations over the entire weekend. „The city is facing a significant challenge, but our focus remains on the safety of every New Yorker and ensuring our essential services can operate.” — Zohran Mamdani The storm's impact is also felt in Europe. For example, the national carrier Lufthansa had to cancel selected transatlantic connections, and numerous flights from Paris, Milan, or Frankfurt are experiencing multi-hour delays. Schools in many districts remain closed, with lessons moved to remote mode. Forecasters warn that while the heaviest precipitation is subsiding, a sharp temperature drop after the storm could lead to dangerous black ice on major transportation routes. Scale of Disruptions in Transport and Energy: Canceled flights (23.02): 5000, Damaged power lines: 400000, Closed schools (districts): 120 400 tys. — customers remain without power

Mentioned People

  • Zohran Mamdani — Mayor of New York managing crisis operations during the snowstorm.