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| Image: AI Generated |
New York, February 24 - A powerful historic blizzard has battered New York City and the broader Northeast, prompting widespread travel chaos as authorities and airlines brace for one of the most severe winter storms in recent memory. With heavy snowfall exceeding 19 inches in Central Park, ranking among the city's top snow events on record, and winds creating whiteout conditions, the storm has paralyzed transportation networks. New York City declared a state of emergency, imposing temporary travel bans on non-essential vehicles, while blizzard warnings covered millions across multiple states from Maryland to Maine. Airports, roads, and public transit ground to a halt as the bomb cyclone intensified, dumping record accumulations in areas like Providence, Rhode Island, and parts of New Jersey and Long Island.
The aviation sector has borne the brunt of the disruption, with over 10,000 flights grounded or canceled from Sunday through Tuesday, according to flight tracking data. Major hubs, including John F. Kennedy International (JFK), LaGuardia (LGA), and Newark Liberty International (EWR), saw cancellation rates exceeding 90% for departures and arrivals on peak days, effectively suspending operations. Airlines preemptively scrubbed schedules to avoid stranding aircraft and crews amid unsafe runway conditions and low visibility. Ripple effects extended nationwide, impacting connecting flights far beyond the storm's core zone, leaving passengers scrambling for rebookings and accommodations.
As NYC braces for continued recovery, officials warn that clearing runways, de-icing aircraft, and repositioning crews will take days, potentially prolonging delays even after snowfall tapers. Power outages affecting hundreds of thousands have compounded challenges, hindering ground support at airports and complicating passenger logistics. Travelers are advised to check airline updates, monitor weather forecasts, and consider flexible options like refunds or credits under federal protections for weather-related cancellations.
This historic blizzard underscores the vulnerability of East Coast infrastructure to extreme winter weather, disrupting daily life, commerce, and travel in one of the nation's busiest regions. While conditions are gradually improving with easing bans and resuming services, the scale of the event serves as a stark reminder of nature's capacity to overwhelm even the most prepared urban centers.
