A massive winter storm, which officials described as the worst in decades, brought blizzard conditions to millions of people on the East Coast on Feb. 22.
Forecasters predict the Nor'easter will blanket states from Maryland up to Massachusetts with heavy snow, high winds, blizzard conditions, and coastal flooding, according to the National Weather Service.
“Snowfall rates of 2–3 inches per hour will occur at times,” the weather service warned.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency on Feb. 21 in preparation for the winter blast that is expected to dump 18 to 24 inches of snow in New York City and Long Island.
Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Rhode Island also each declared a state of emergency.
More than 3,300 flights within, into, or out of the United States were canceled as of 6:30 p.m. EST on Feb. 22.
The majority of the canceled flights on Feb. 22 were located in the New York City area, according to FlightAware.
As of noon EST on Feb. 22, John F. Kennedy International Airport had canceled more than 700 flights, LaGuardia Airport cut more than 550 flights, and Newark Liberty Airport canceled more than 460.
Travelers at Philadelphia International Airport, Ronald Reagan National Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport collectively faced hundreds of cancellations on Feb. 22.
American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, SouthWest Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue, and Republic Airways each had more than 200 cancellations on Feb. 22.
Republic, which is one of the largest regional airlines in North America, had the most cancellations with more than 552.
JetBlue, which is based out of New York JFK International Airport with a secondary hub at Boston Logan Airport, had the second-highest number of cancellations on Feb. 22.
Nearly 5,000 flights were canceled ahead of Feb. 23.
Multiple states spent Feb. 22 warning people about treacherous travel conditions for drivers and urged them to stay off the road, if possible.
“It can absolutely be paralyzing if you attempt to drive in it,” Hochul warned during a press conference on Feb. 22.
“Imagine driving with all the lights off, it’s completely dark, there’s no headlights, you are in complete darkness. That’s what it feels like when you’re driving through a blinding blizzard. You can not see anything.”
New York City ordered all nonessential vehicles to be off the street from 9 p.m. on Feb. 22 to 12 p.m. on Feb. 23.
The Big Apple’s temporary citywide travel restriction will impact streets, highways, bridges, and tunnels to vehicular traffic unless the cars offer critical services such as medical supplies, food, fuel, or utility repairs.
Commercial trucks, electric bicycles, scooters, and mopeds are also prohibited during the temporary citywide travel order.
“The safety of New Yorkers is my top priority,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.
“As this blizzard moves in, our administration is mobilizing every tool at our disposal, around the clock, to keep our neighbors safe. This emergency declaration allows us to cut through red tape so emergency vehicles, sanitation crews, and essential workers can move quickly and do their jobs without delay.”
New Jersey state officials warned that this could be the worst storm that’s hit the state since 1996.
The New Jersey Department of Transportation issued commercial vehicle travel restrictions on multiple Interstates, starting at 3 p.m. EST, as the incoming blizzard is expected to cause “near zero” visibility in some areas.
“New Jersey, we haven’t seen a storm like this in decades,” New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said in an X post on the afternoon of Feb. 22.
Blizzard conditions are expected to spread from the DelMarVa Peninsula, which consists of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, through southeastern New England.
Cities including Boston, Bridgeport, and Newport issued a parking ban on major roads starting on Feb. 22.
“Once the snow emergency goes into effect, vehicles parked on major roads and main arteries will be towed,” the city warned.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu urged residents to stay inside as she suggested that the incoming storm “is looking like it will be of historic proportions.”
“Boston is no stranger to Nor’easters, but this is going to be a big one,” Wu said during a press conference on Feb. 22.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey activated 200 members of the Massachusetts National Guard on Feb. 22 to brace for the winter blast.
The National Guard members will “provide necessary assistance for the preservation of life and property to State and local civilian authorities in response to the winter storm and blizzard conditions forecast to impact the Commonwealth,” according to Healey’s announcement.
Healey suggested that the number may increase depending on conditions.
“This will be a severe storm that presents significant risks to public safety. We need everyone to take it seriously,” Healey said.
Schools have already started canceling classes for Feb. 23, including Boston Public Schools and New York Public Schools.
Wind gusts could reach up to 70 mph between New Jersey and southeast New England, causing the potential for lights to go dark.
“These strong winds combined with the weight of heavy, wet snow should result in scattered to numerous power outages,” the National Weather Service said.
Moderate to major coastal flooding is expected around Delaware up to Cape Cod until the morning of Feb. 23.
