New York declares state of emergency as heavy snow disrupts north-east U.S. travel

New York placed the state under emergency measures on Friday as a powerful winter storm brought the heaviest snowfall since 2022, disrupting travel across the north-east of the United States.

The National Weather Service said snowfall rates could exceed two inches an hour in some areas, with more than 23 million people under winter storm warnings.

New York was among the worst affected, with snow in many places mixed with freezing rain.

Snow began falling across the New York City area on Friday evening and was forecast to intensify on Saturday.

Winter storm warnings were also in effect in New Jersey and Connecticut, where wind gusts were expected to reach up to 35 mph.

The storm caused widespread disruption to post-Christmas travel.

Thousands of flights across the north-east U.S. were cancelled, including more than 300 at John F. Kennedy International Airport since Friday.

Airports urged passengers to check with airlines for the latest updates.

Snow ploughs were deployed across affected areas as emergency crews worked to keep major roads open.

Kathy Hochul urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and advised drivers to take extra care in icy conditions, saying public safety remained the priority throughout the storm.

Tags