Record snowstorm cripples US East Coast, over 5,000 flights cancelled

A powerful winter storm swept across the US East Coast on Monday, dumping record-breaking snowfall, cutting power to hundreds of thousands and forcing the cancellation of more than 5,000 flights.

According to the National Weather Service, parts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts received nearly 37 inches (94cm) of snow, while New York City’s Central Park recorded more than 19 inches. The storm created what authorities described as “near impossible” travel conditions in parts of New York State.

More than 600,000 homes and businesses across the region experienced power outages, with New Jersey and Massachusetts among the hardest hit. In Massachusetts alone, nearly 300,000 customers were left without electricity, including a large majority in Barnstable County, which covers Cape Cod.

Winter storm warnings stretched from North Carolina to northern Maine, with alerts also issued for parts of eastern Canada. Forecasters said snowfall was expected to continue through Monday, with some coastal areas projected to receive up to two feet of accumulation by Tuesday morning.

Rhode Island appeared to bear the brunt of the storm. Providence recorded 36 inches of snow, surpassing the state’s previous single-storm record of 28.6 inches set in 1978. Meteorologists described the total as unprecedented for the state.

Authorities imposed travel bans in Rhode Island and neighboring Connecticut. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey later announced restrictions on non-essential travel in parts of southeastern Massachusetts and reduced highway speed limits, citing dangerous whiteout conditions.

In New York City, a temporary travel ban brought much of the city to a standstill before being lifted at midday. Roads, highways and bridges were initially closed as snow removal crews worked to clear them.

Officials in Connecticut and New Jersey warned that falling trees and branches could worsen road conditions and trigger additional outages. In Providence, hundreds of vehicles were towed after obstructing snowplough operations.

Air travel was heavily disrupted nationwide. Flight tracking service FlightAware reported more than 5,700 cancellations within, into or out of the United States on Monday. Nearly all departures from New York’s LaGuardia Airport were cancelled, along with the vast majority of flights from John F. Kennedy International Airport. Boston’s Logan International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and Philadelphia International Airport also reported widespread cancellations.

Airports in Boston and New York are expected to remain among the most affected on Tuesday, with more than 2,000 additional flight cancellations projected as the region continues to recover from the storm.