A winter ice storm wreaked havoc in New York City and other parts of the US Northeast over the weekend, causing major travel disruptions during the holiday season.
New York City received about 4 inches (10.2 centimeters) of snowfall from Friday night into early Saturday morning, while other parts of the state saw up to 10 inches.
“The good news is that the heaviest snowfall has occurred,” said Bob Orweck, a forecaster with the Maryland-based National Weather Service.
“The storm is definitely tapering off, there’s a little movement throughout the Northeast [on Saturday morning]”he adds.
Flights canceled across the Northeast
More than 1,600 flights were canceled across the country on Friday and another 800 flights were canceled on Saturday, according to air traffic tracker FlightAware.
Thousands more flights were delayed due to bad weather.
Most of the canceled flights were at New York’s John F. There were flights originating from Kennedy and LaGuardia airports, as well as nearby Newark Airport.
Additional flights to cities such as Philadelphia and Toronto were cancelled.
Cities emerge from state of emergency
Before the snowstorm, New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency in more than half the state.
“The safety of New Yorkers is my top priority and I continue to urge the utmost caution during this storm,” she said in a statement Friday.
But as the weather cleared Saturday, many people headed to New York parks to enjoy the winter wonderland, with one interstate tourist telling the Associated Press news agency that the blanket was “absolutely beautiful.”
Acting New Jersey Governor Taheesha Way also declared a state of emergency.
“This storm will make road conditions dangerous and impact holiday travel,” he said.
“We are encouraging travelers to avoid travel during the storm and allow crews to take to the roads. Drivers should plan their trips accordingly, monitor conditions and road closures, and follow all safety protocols.”
Edited by: Rana Taha