A significant winter storm impacted the Northeastern United States from Sunday, January 28, through Monday, January 29, bringing heavy snow, strong winds, and blizzard conditions. The event resulted in widespread travel disruptions, extensive power outages affecting hundreds of thousands, and emergency declarations across multiple states. Snowfall totals exceeded two feet in many areas, with some locations reporting over three feet, leading to challenging cleanup efforts and affecting millions of residents.
Storm Forecast and Warnings
Forecasts projected a powerful winter storm, anticipated to be the region's first blizzard in nearly a decade. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued blizzard warnings for a broad area, including Long Island, all five boroughs of New York City, Southern Westchester, coastal Connecticut, Monmouth and Ocean counties in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine.
A blizzard warning indicates sustained winds or gusts of 35 mph or more, blowing snow, and visibility reduced to 1/4 mile or less for three hours or more.
Winter Storm Warnings covered the remaining regions. The storm's central pressure off the coast was projected to be comparable to a Category 2 or 3 hurricane, contributing to intense conditions.
Anticipated Conditions and Timeline
The storm's primary impact spanned from Sunday afternoon through Monday morning, with effects extending into Tuesday.
- Saturday: Conditions were cloudy and mild, with temperatures in the 40s, recommended for storm preparations.
- Sunday Morning: Light snow began, with limited initial accumulation.
- Sunday Afternoon: Temperatures decreased, and steadier snow developed.
- Sunday Evening - Monday Morning: The storm's peak impact occurred, characterized by heavy snow, whiteout conditions, and strong wind gusts exceeding 50 mph. Gusts ranged from 40 to 70 mph in some areas, increasing the risk of downed trees and power lines.
- Monday Midday: Snow tapered off, but windy conditions persisted.
- Tuesday: Cold conditions with lingering snow cover were observed.
- Midweek: A gradual thaw was projected to begin.
Snowfall rates during the peak of the storm reached 2-3 inches per hour in some areas and up to 2 inches per hour for extended periods. The snow was described as heavy and wet, potentially weighing down trees and power lines. Coastal flooding of up to 2.5 to 3 feet during high tides and coastal erosion were also concerns, with a Coastal Flood Warning issued.
Government Response and Declarations
States of Emergency
Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania declared states of emergency. Maryland Governor Wes Moore declared a state of preparedness on Saturday. Additionally, 20 counties in New York issued emergency declarations.
New York City's Response
Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a local state of emergency on Sunday and issued a travel ban for non-essential traffic, closing streets, highways, and bridges from 9 PM Sunday until noon Monday. Public schools in New York City were closed on Monday, with in-person classes resuming on Tuesday. Delivery services like DoorDash and Grubhub temporarily suspended operations in the city.
Regional Directives
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency effective Sunday midday. Officials advised residents to complete preparations by Saturday and to avoid non-essential travel from Sunday evening through Monday morning.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) urged affected individuals to avoid unnecessary travel, charge devices, stock up on essentials, and prepare for potential power outages, advising adherence to local official directives.
Widespread Travel Disruptions
The storm caused extensive disruptions across air, road, and rail travel.
Air Travel
Thousands of flights were canceled across major hubs, including New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Boston Logan International, Newark Liberty International, and Philadelphia International Airports. Rhode Island's T.F. Green International Airport temporarily suspended all operations. Over 9,000 U.S. flights were canceled and more than 10,000 delayed since Sunday, with over 5,600 cancellations on Monday alone. LaGuardia Airport, for example, saw 98% of its Monday flights canceled. Flight disruptions began to subside by Wednesday, with approximately 200 flights grounded.
Road and Public Transit
Non-emergency travel bans were implemented in New York City, Rhode Island, and New Jersey. Travel conditions were described as "dangerous or impossible," with whiteout conditions. New York City's travel ban included exemptions for essential and emergency travel.
New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) removed articulated buses and anticipated subway delays. The Long Island Rail Road temporarily suspended all services. In Boston, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) reduced service. By Tuesday morning, some mass transportation services, including New Jersey Transit and parts of Amtrak, resumed operations.
Rail Services
Amtrak suspended all service between New York Moynihan Train Hall and Boston South Station, with other routes also experiencing disruptions.
Power Outages and Regional Impacts
The combination of heavy, wet snow and strong winds led to widespread power outages across the Northeast.
As of Monday afternoon, at least 500,000 customers were without power across the Northeast, with some reports indicating over 516,000 affected by Monday evening.
Hundreds of thousands in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Delaware, and Rhode Island lost electricity.
State-Specific Outages
Over 275,000 customers in Massachusetts were without power by Monday evening, with nearly 160,000 still affected by early Wednesday. By Wednesday afternoon, over 138,000 customers, primarily on Cape Cod, remained without power. Over 22,895 customers in New Jersey were without power by Sunday evening.
Cleanup Efforts
Cleanup efforts were underway from Maryland to Maine. New York City deployed 143 million pounds of salt and recruited approximately 3,500 emergency shovelers for public street and bus stop clearance. Many sidewalks, particularly in New York City and Rhode Island, remained impassable for individuals using wheelchairs, rollators, or crutches. Providence, Rhode Island, transported snow to five designated dumping sites.
Snowfall Totals
12 to 18 inches were common, with locally higher totals exceeding 20 inches in areas like the East End of Long Island and parts of the Jersey Shore.
Record-Breaking Accumulations
New York City's Central Park recorded 19 inches, while forecasts indicated up to 17 inches, with some parts of the city potentially experiencing up to 28 inches. New York City recorded between 9 and 11 inches generally during the active travel ban. Parts of Long Island received up to 30 inches of snow.
The state of Rhode Island experienced over 3 feet (91 centimeters) of snow in some areas, exceeding totals from the 1978 Blizzard. T.F. Green International Airport recorded nearly 38 inches (97 centimeters), a new record for the location. Parts of New Jersey reported over 2 feet of snow. Overall, over 2 feet (61 centimeters) of snow fell across parts of the Northeast. Meteorologists estimated the storm's snow contained an estimated 2.5 trillion gallons of water.
Human Impact and Casualties
Residents were advised to stock essentials, charge devices, and prepare for outages. The NWS recommended preparing three days' worth of non-perishable food, water, medications, and other essentials.
In Newport, Rhode Island, 21-year-old Joseph Boutros was found deceased in a snow-covered vehicle on Monday night. The cause was identified as carbon monoxide poisoning after his car's exhaust pipe was obstructed by snow while he was charging his phone during a power outage. Police ruled the death accidental. NWS meteorologist Owen Shieh cautioned individuals shoveling heavy snow to take breaks and avoid overexertion.
Historical Context
The storm was identified as a "classic bomb cyclone/nor'easter," a phenomenon occurring when a storm's pressure drops significantly within a 24-hour period.
It was projected to be the largest snow-producing event in the Tri-State area since January 2016 and the first blizzard warning since March 2017.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul stated the storm had the potential to rank among New York City’s top 10 most significant storms in 150 years. Meteorologists described it as the strongest storm in a decade for the region.
Recovery and Future Outlook
By Tuesday morning, roads began reopening, and mass transportation services resumed. Major school districts, including Philadelphia and Boston, resumed in-person classes on Wednesday, while New York City's public school system operated normally on Tuesday. While flight disruptions were subsiding, recovery efforts for power outages and snow removal continued.
The NWS was tracking another storm expected to bring a combination of rain and snow on Wednesday, though not anticipated to be as strong, which could potentially complicate ongoing cleanup. The eventual melt of the substantial snow is expected to help mitigate drought conditions in parts of the Northeast.