A winter storm is impacting nearly 70 million Americans, pummeling major cities with snow, including New York City, Philadelphia and Boston. The storm warnings currently stretch from northern Georgia to Maine.
So far, northern and central New Jersey have already been hit with nearly 2 feet of snow and another foot could fall by Tuesday evening.
Heavy snow, gusts topping 60 mph and white-out conditions have caused numerous accidents and grounded more than 1,600 from Washington, D.C., to Boston. The storm has also knocked out power and forced COVID-19 vaccination sites to shut down across D.C., Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
NYC Subway to resume above-ground service Tuesday morning
The New York City Subway will resume above-ground service at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Monday night. Above-ground service had been halted earlier Monday afternoon.
The Long Island Railroad and the Metro-North will also resume service by 4 a.m. on Tuesday, Cuomo said in a statement.
"We understand the subway and commuter rail lines are critical for essential workers who need to get to work and the MTA is confident they can restore service to those New Yorkers early tomorrow morning," Cuomo said.
NYC buses continue to run on a reduced schedule and the MTA Bridges and Tunnels' ban on empty tractor trailers is still in effect, Cuomo added.
New Jersey vaccination sites to remain closed Tuesday
The six vaccine mega-sites in New Jersey will remain closed Tuesday due to the winter storm pummeling the Northeast, Governor Phil Murphy announced Monday. On Sunday, Murphy had announced the sites would be closed on Monday in anticipation of the storm.
According to Murphy, all scheduled vaccinations should still take place sometime this week. No new vaccinations will be scheduled through the state's vaccination call center "until the storm's impact is assessed," Murphy added.
East Coast storm to continue dumping snow
Flight delays and cancellations as of 9:30 p.m. ET
FlightAware.com has rounded up the flight delays and cancellations as reported late Monday night:
- Total delays: 2,870
- Total delays within, into, or out of the U.S.: 1,174
- Total cancellations: 4,761
- Total cancellations within, into, or out of the U.S.: 1,694
New York City schools to hold online classes Tuesday due to the storm
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said New York City public schools will be all-remote again Tuesday.
"There will not be in-person schools tomorrow. Remote education, of course, will go on for all kids tomorrow — Tuesday," he said. "But Wednesday, we'll be back strong."
Catholic Elementary Schools will also remain closed Tuesday.
Pennsylvania reports 3 deaths in "snow disposal" dispute
At least three deaths that appeared to be related to the storm were reported in Pennsylvania.
Authorities said a 67-year-old woman with Alzheimer's disease who reportedly wandered away from her home was found dead of hypothermia on an Allentown street Monday morning. About 60 miles north in Plains Township, a shooting after an argument over snow removal killed a married couple, and the suspect was later found dead at his nearby home of a wound believed to have been self-inflicted, officials in Luzerne County said.
A preliminary investigation indicates the people involved had a long-running conflict, but "this morning, the dispute was exacerbated by a disagreement over snow disposal," District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said.
— The Associated Press
Video shows winter wonderland in Central Park
Peter Haskell of WCBS NewsRadio 880 captured this tranquil video of snow falling in New York City's Central Park on Monday.
Jersey Shore residents fear flooding after significant snowfall
Flooding caused by Monday's nor'easter is a big concern on the Jersey Shore.
CBS New York was on Ocean Avenue in Belmar and witnessed some serious waves. Across the street on Ocean Avenue just about everything was closed up as people braced for more flooding Monday night.
"The high tide was coming in earlier today and it was really washing in and making everything super flooded. It's definitely going to get dangerous as the night goes on," resident Colleen Williams said.
24-year-old driver killed in Michigan collision
Michigan State Police are investigating a Sunday collision that led to the death of a 24-year-old man. The driver, from Hillsdale County, lost control of his vehicle while driving in inclement weather. His vehicle flipped into oncoming traffic and he was struck by a pickup truck.
The 24-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
New York City cancels vaccine appointments for Tuesday
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Monday that the winter storm would impact vaccination appointments at state-run sites across the state, closing sites and delaying the start times of others.
"For the safety of both workers and individuals scheduled to receive a vaccination, we will be postponing appointments for tomorrow at several vaccination sites that are being impacted by this storm," said Cuomo in a press release. "To be clear — no one is losing an appointment — they will all be rescheduled when conditions are safer."
Officials will aim to reschedule appointments at similar times, but residents are encouraged to call personally if their rescheduled time doesn't fit in their schedule.
Mass vaccination sites upstate in Binghamton, Albany, Plattsburgh, Potsdam, Utica, Syracuse and Rochester, will open later in the day at 10 a.m. Tuesday. The Buffalo University site will open on time with no change.
The following vaccination sites will be closed Tuesday:
- SUNY Stony Brook
- Jones Beach
- Aqueduct Racetrack
- The Javits Center
- The Westchester County Center
Snowfall totals across the U.S.
The nor'easter has slammed the East Coast with snowfall. Here's a look at snowfall totals in inches, as of Monday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
- Mendham, New Jersey: 27
- Springtown, Pennsylvania: 19.7
- New York City: 11
- Boston: 8
- Philadelphia: 3.7
Find the total snowfall numbers in your area here.
Storm leaves thousands without power
The massive storm has caused power outages across the East Coast.
New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia have all reported power outages from the Nor'easter, which brought heavy winds and icy temperatures.
Here's a breakdown of the latest outages, according to poweroutage.us.
- New York: 3,825
- New Jersey: 4,321
- Maryland: 1,418
- Virginia: 233
Outdoor subway service suspended in New York
New York has suspended outdoor subway service starting at 2 pm Monday as the year's first Nor'easter pummels the city with massive amounts of snow.
The suspension will affect above-ground trains in Queens and the Bronx, as well as the Long Island Rail Road and the Metro-North trains. The last trains will leave Penn Station, Atlantic Terminal, and Grand Central Station between 2:30 and 3 pm.
The city has already issued an emergency warning suspending non-essential travel. However, those who think they could be affected by the suspension are encouraged to plan their trips now and continue to check their route with the MTA's service status updates.
"But to be clear, people should start planning that now," said Sarah Feinberg, the interim president of the New York City Transit Authority. "So if you are not home and you need to get home, you need to start making your way there now."
What is a nor'easter?
2021's first massive storm has blasted the East Coast with feet of snow, canceling in-person learning, COVID vaccinations and more than 1,600 flights. The National Weather Service has classified the storm as a nor'easter — but what does that mean?
Nor'easters get their name from the type of wind that forms the storm, which usually comes from the Northeast. They can form at any time in the year but are most frequent and destructive between September and April when cold arctic air mixes with the warm water from the Gulf, the weather service said. While Nor'easters can cause blizzard conditions, which is defined as 35 mph winds and reduced visibility for at least three hours, the storm itself is not always a blizzard.
"These storms progress generally northeastward and typically attain maximum intensity near New England and the Maritime Provinces of Canada," the weather service said. "They nearly always bring precipitation in the form of heavy rain or snow, as well as winds of gale force, rough seas, and, occasionally, coastal flooding to the affected regions."
Images across New York City
New York City could see up to 20 inches of snow by Tuesday. Here are some images across the city from Monday.
More than 1,600 flights canceled in the U.S.
The winter storm forced the cancelation of more than 1,600 flights across the U.S. on Monday, according to FlightAware.com.
Nearly 67% of the nationwide cancellations occurred at just four major airports along the East Coast: Boston Logan, Newark, JFK and LaGuardia.
Storm forces cancellations of COVID-19 vaccine appointments
The storm forced the suspension of coronavirus vaccine appointments across the Northeast, forcing officials in New York City, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and other cities to reschedule them later in the week.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said the state's six mass vaccination sites would close, with all appointments rescheduled within the week.
In Baltimore, vaccination appointments have been rescheduled for next week and testing sites have been closed entirely, according to the Maryland Department of Health.
The storm has also delayed the opening of Boston's new mass vaccination site, the Reggie Lewis Center at Roxbury Community College. Governor Charlie Baker said the city would not release a list of closed COVID-19 vaccination sites but said officials would reach out directly to residents to reschedule appointments.
On Sunday, New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio canceled all vaccination efforts across the city, saying he did not want elderly vaccine recipients traveling in the snow. However, appointments for Tuesday have not yet been canceled. New York's winter travel advisory will expire at 6 a.m Tuesday morning.
New York City issues emergency travel restrictions
The storm forced New York City to a screeching halt on Monday.
Mayor Bill de Blasio issued emergency travel restrictions ahead of the storm Sunday, urging drivers to stay off the road. Officials said residents should keep the roads clear for emergency vehicles and let the plows work to keep everyone safe.
De Blasio restricted travel on city streets and highways between 6 a.m. Monday and 6 a.m. Tuesday. He canceled outdoor dining, canceled in-person classes, and postponed appointments for the coronavirus vaccine.
"We're rescheduling Monday appointments for vaccines," de Blasio said. "We'll get them done as quickly as humanly possible."
Forecasters said more than 6.5 inches of snow fell overnight and the city could see more than three inches of snow each hour this afternoon. Winds could reach up to 45 mph in the city and 50 mph along the coast.
