Maps show winter storm snow totals, forecast as blizzard conditions strike East Coast

More than 40 million people were under blizzard warnings Monday as a historic winter storm hit the East Coast with heavy snow and fierce winds. In many parts of the Northeast it was forecast to be the biggest winter storm in nearly a decade. 

Blizzard warnings stretched from Maryland to Maine and governors in eight states and several major cities declared states of emergency. More than 2 feet of snow had accumulated in some areas as of Monday morning.

Bans on nonessential travel were announced for New Jersey, New York City and some neighboring areas.

Maps show snow totals, forecast, blizzard warnings

The National Weather Service said 1 to 2 feet of snow could pile up in many areas, with lower snowfall totals in the Mid-Atlantic region. 

New York City and surrounding areas, including parts of Long Island and New Jersey, were being hit especially hard. More than 26 inches fell in East Islip, on Long Island, while other areas nearby saw similarly high totals, CBS News New York reported. 

As of Monday morning, over 15 inches of snow had fallen in Central Park.   

This is the first time in nine years that a blizzard warning has been issued for New York City.

According to the weather service, a storm meets the definition of a blizzard when there is "snow and/or blowing snow reducing visibility to 1/4 mile or less for 3 hours or longer" along with "sustained winds of 35 mph or greater or frequent gusts to 35 mph or greater."

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged New Yorkers to stay inside and off the roads for the duration of the storm. He canceled school for Monday and declared a state of emergency that included a citywide travel ban through noon Monday, with streets, highways and bridges shut down to all traffic except essential and emergency services.

"New York City has not faced a storm of this scale in the last decade," Mamdani said. "We are asking New Yorkers to avoid all nonessential travel."

CBS News New York reported travel restrictions were also issued for Long Island and counties including Westchester.

New York City was loading up more than 700 salt spreaders and turning more than 2,000 garbage trucks into snowplows, he said. This is the new mayor's second major snowstorm in the first two months of his administration. At least 19 people died during brutally cold weather that lasted more than three weeks following the last storm.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency ahead of the nor'easter and activated about 100 members of the National Guard. 

"This will be something the likes of which we've not seen in years," Hochul said. "People will be in the dark. Long Island and New York City and lower Hudson are literally in the direct eye of the storm."

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill also declared a state of emergency, saying she expected "severe blizzard conditions across our state."

She put a travel ban in place for New Jersey through midday Monday and mass transit largely ground to a halt in the state.

"I am urging you to make plans to stay off the roads Sunday through Monday," Sherrill said in a news conference Saturday. 

A blizzard warning was also issued for parts of southern New England — its first in four years. CBS News Boston reported the storm was forecast to dump up to 2 feet of snow on the city and surrounding areas through Monday afternoon. 

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency on Sunday and deployed 200 members of the National Guard. 

"This is a serious storm. At the outset what I want to say to the public is this is one to take seriously," Healey said, adding, "Unfortunately we do expect to see power outages and downed trees."

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said schools would be closed Monday and warned, "Boston is looking to face down yet another winter storm this season and one that is looking like it will be of historic proportions."

CBS News meteorologist Andrew Kozak said several major Northeast cities under blizzard warnings, including New York City and Boston, "will have a combination of wind blowing snow, and reduced visibilities that are going to be very dangerous across the next 24 to 48 hours."

Snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour were expected with higher rates, up to 2 to 3 inches per hour, possible from Philadelphia to New York City and into southern New England. 

The weather service warned that the storm, with steady winds of 25 to 35 mph, would "make travel dangerous, if not impossible. Scattered downed tree limbs and power outages are possible due to snow load and strong winds."

More than half a million homes and businesses were in the dark in the Northeast as of midday Monday, according to PowerOutage.us, with the bulk in Massachusetts and New Jersey.

Stronger gusts of 40 mph to 70 mph could also produce drifting snow, hampering visibility and potentially causing whiteout conditions. Kozak said travel along major corridors, including Interstates 95, 78, 80, 84 and the Massachusetts Turnpike may become extremely dangerous or impossible during the height of the storm.

Officials in Atlantic City, New Jersey, have urged residents and casino visitors to stay off streets during the storm, especially in low-lying neighborhoods prone to flooding.

"I could go on and on probably with a good two dozen streets where we know we will get water and there will be snow on top of that, said Scott Evans, the city's fire chief and emergency management coordinator. "So you won't be able to see it until it's too late, so therefore please stay at home."

The storm approached just as the icy remains of a snowstorm that struck the region weeks earlier were finally melting away. 

Airlines cancel flights for the region

Thousands of flights have been canceled or delayed due to the storm, and major airlines issued waivers allowing passengers to rebook without extra charge.

Delta announced over the weekend it had canceled flights for Sunday and Monday at New York's LaGuardia and JFK airports and Boston. Customers headed to East Coast airports have flexible options to rebook. 

American said it had teams working around the clock with the goal of resuming operations at affected airports Tuesday, as soon as conditions enable carriers to do it safely. It noted the severe winter weather conditions may impact airlines' ability to operate at other airports in the region as well.

More than 3,400 U.S. flights were canceled for Sunday, according to flight tracker FlightAware, with the largest numbers at airports in the New York City metro area, Boston, Philadelphia and the Washington, D.C., area. Republic Airlines, JetBlue, American Airlines, Delta. Southwest and United each canceled hundreds of flights.

For Monday, Flight Aware shows more than 5,600 U.S. cancellations, mostly affecting the same airports and airlines, and more than 1,700 flights were canceled for Tuesday.

JetBlue said, "The safety of our customers and crewmembers is our first priority, and we will continue to track the storm to determine if additional operational adjustments will be required."