Major US blizzard shuts down New York
January 27, 2015
Heavy snowfall, coupled with extreme wind and thunderstorms, is expected to unload up to 90 centimeters (3 feet) of snow on a densely populated area of more than 35 million people in the northeast of the country.
Snowfall and high winds hit the New York borough of Manhattan near Madison Square Garden, as light snow blanketed Boston on Monday. Weather forecasters say New York City and New England will be worst affected by the storm cell as it builds into a blizzard early Tuesday.
The US' National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for a 402 kilometer area of the region, meaning heavy, blustering snow and potential whiteout conditions. Forecasters also warned of wind gusts of up to 121 kilometers per hour.
"This will most likely be one of the largest blizzards in the history of New York City," New York Mayor Bill de Blasio warned.
Northeast 'shut down'
New York closed its transport system at 11 p.m. local time (0400 UTC), made non-emergency road travel a criminal offense across 13 counties and shut down tunnels and bridges connecting Manhattan to New Jersey.
"It could be a matter of life and death, and that's not being overly dramatic, so caution is required," New York state Governor Andrew Cuomo warned residents.
A state of emergency was declared across affected states as locals rushed to supermarkets to stockpile food and water.
"I have nothing to eat; I need some food. Who knows if tomorrow I'm going to leave my house," said boutique worker Rosa Ramirez to news agency AFP, as she queued outside a grocery store in Manhattan.
"What I do not know is how long I'll have to wait," she said, as snow and icy wind gusted through the queue of shoppers."
Schools, government offices and businesses have closed, and New York's famous Broadway and top music venues have cancelled performances. National Basketball Association games have also been postponed.
More than 7,100 flights in and out of the Northeast were cancelled on Monday and Tuesday, with many not expected to depart now until Wednesday.
The New York Stock Exchange has remained open and said it will operate as normal on Tuesday despite the extreme weather conditions.
The inclement weather also interrupted jury selection in the Boston Marathon bombing case and forced opening statements to be postponed in the murder trial of former National Football League player Aaron Hernandez.
jlw/gsw (AP, AFP, Reuters)