A powerful mix of snow, sleet and ice swept across the US Northeast early Saturday, disrupting post-holiday travel, grounding thousands of flights and prompting emergency declarations in New York and New Jersey, even as the storm began to weaken by mid-morning on December 27.
Authorities across the region urged residents to stay off the roads, warning that freezing temperatures and lingering ice would continue to create hazardous conditions. States of emergency were declared in New York and New Jersey as snow blanketed major population centres and transportation hubs at the height of the holiday travel rush.
“The safety of New Yorkers is my top priority, and I continue to urge extreme caution throughout the duration of this storm,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement, as state and local agencies mobilised ploughs, salt trucks and emergency crews.
According to the National Weather Service, snowfall totals ranged from 15 to 25 centimetres across a broad swath stretching from Syracuse in central New York to Long Island in the southeast, as well as parts of Connecticut. Bob Oravec, a meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center near Washington, DC, said the system delivered the most significant snowfall the region has seen in several years.
New York City itself received more moderate but still disruptive accumulation. Five to ten centimetres of snow fell overnight, with nearly 11 centimetres recorded in Central Park — the city’s heaviest snowfall since 2022. “The good news is that the heaviest snow is done,” Oravec said early Saturday. “Only a few flurries remain this morning and those will taper off by the afternoon.”
Despite the easing snowfall, the storm’s impact on travel was severe. By mid-morning Saturday, more than 14,400 domestic US flights had been cancelled or delayed, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. The majority of disruptions were concentrated in the New York metropolitan area, affecting John F Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport — three of the country’s busiest aviation hubs.
International travel was also hit hard. FlightAware reported that more than 2,100 international flights scheduled to depart from or arrive in the United States on Saturday were cancelled, stranding travellers and complicating plans for those returning home after Christmas.
Major airlines moved to ease the burden on passengers. Representatives from American Airlines, United Airlines and JetBlue Airways said the carriers had waived change fees normally charged to rebook flights for customers affected by weather-related disruptions, allowing travellers to adjust plans without additional costs.
On the ground, icy conditions posed significant dangers. Ice storm warnings and winter weather advisories were issued across most of Pennsylvania and much of Massachusetts, while New Jersey and Pennsylvania imposed commercial vehicle restrictions on several roads, including key interstate highways. Officials said the measures were necessary to reduce accidents and allow road crews to operate safely.
“This storm will cause dangerous road conditions and impact holiday travel,” New Jersey’s acting governor Tahesha Way said in a statement. “We are urging travellers to avoid travel during the storm and allow crews to tend to roads.”
Emergency services across the region reported numerous weather-related incidents, including minor vehicle accidents and downed trees, though no widespread power outages were immediately reported. Utilities remained on high alert as freezing rain in some areas raised concerns about ice accumulation on power lines.
Forecasters said colder-than-normal temperatures are expected to linger into the weekend, meaning untreated roads and sidewalks could remain icy even as skies clear. Officials continued to urge caution, especially for those planning to travel or return from holiday gatherings.
While the storm was gradually moving out of the Northeast by Saturday afternoon, authorities stressed that its after-effects would be felt well beyond the snowfall itself, with travel disruptions, clean-up operations and safety concerns likely to continue into the coming days.
