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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Oliver Laughland in New York

North-east blizzard: trains, planes and more delays as travel bans start – live

Snow-covered bicycles lining the streets of Manhattan’s Upper East Side show that most cyclists have wisely stayed on foot or indoors due to the heavy snowfall.
Snow-covered bicycles lining the streets of Manhattan’s Upper East Side show that most cyclists have wisely stayed on foot or indoors due to the heavy snowfall. Photograph: Rex Features

Here’s quick gallery of news photos from towns and cities covered in snow around the north-east from earlier today.

In New York City:

A woman waits to cross Centre Street near City Hall, New York City
A woman waits to cross Centre Street near City Hall, New York City Photograph: ANDREW KELLY/EPA

In Boston:

Pedestrians walk along a snow-covered path in the Boston Common
Pedestrians walk along a snow-covered path in the Boston Common Photograph: Steven Senne/AP

In Jersey City:

A Jersey City Incinerator Authority salt and plow truck is seen at Newark Avenue
A Jersey City Incinerator Authority salt and plow truck is seen at Newark Avenue Photograph: The Jersey Journal /Landov / Bar/The Jersey Journal /Landov / Bar

In New Haven, Connecticut:

A man runs through falling snow in New Haven, Connecticut
A man runs through falling snow in New Haven, Connecticut Photograph: MICHELLE MCLOUGHLIN/REUTERS

In Pottsville, Pennsylvania

Faith Houser of Pottsville, Pa., flies down a snowy hill at General George A. Joulwan East Side Park in Pottsville, Monday,
Faith Houser of Pottsville, Pa., flies down a snowy hill at General George A. Joulwan East Side Park in Pottsville, Monday, Photograph: Jacqueline Dormer/AP

There are a lot of strong images being posted on social media showing the eerie, empty streets of New York City:

Updated

And another reminder for residents of Connecticut:

A reminder for residents of New Jersey:

New Jersey governor Chris Christie is using Twitter for a few lighthearted interactions with New Jersey residents awaiting the full force of the storm. It seems no question is off limits at the moment:

NYC Mayor De Blasio: "This is the calm before the storm"

New York City mayor Bill De Blasio recently finished an address at the Department of Sanitation’s Garage 2 in Manhattan as sanitation workers change shift.

“This is literally the calm before the storm,” De Blasio said, “When it starts in earnest it’s going to come in very fast, very hard.”

He reminded New Yorkers of the travel restrictions imposed from 11pm on the city’s roads, which permits only authorised vehicles to drive in the streets.

“Plan ahead,” the mayor said, “If you don’t have everything you need, go and get it now.”

“On a human level, look after the people in your neighborhood,” he added, calling on New Yorkers to look our for senior citizens, disabled citizens and the homeless in particular.

Updated

Amtrak suspends service between Boston and New York

Amtrak, the national railway service, has now suspended Northeast Regional and Acela Express services between Boston and New York for Tueday.

Other Amtrak services have also been suspended (see the press release in full below).

“Passengers with services that require modification are being accomodated on other trains are being proactively notified by Amtrak Customer Service,” the release says.

The National Weather Service in Boston has posted this updated map of expected snowfall in the city. It isolates two areas, one in the east and one in the west, potentially exposed to higher amounts of snow.

My colleague Kayla Epstein has rounded images of the commuters rushing to get home from a little earlier on today. For a reminder of all the travel restrictions in place around the north-east, have a look at this article we posted earlier.

In Boston:

At the Staten Island ferry terminal in New York City:

At Penn Station from earlier this afternoon:

6,500 flights cancelled in north-east

Over 6,500 flights across the north-eastern states have been cancelled due to the snowstorm with many not due to take off again until Wednesday, the Associated Press reports.

The storm is also proving pretty bad news for showbusiness in New York City. All shows on Broadway have been cancelled, the Metropolitan Opera House has been forced to cancel the premiere of a new production of Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta, and comedian Louis CK has been forced to cancel a show at Madison Square Garden tomorrow night.

A reminder from New Jersey governor Chris Christie:

Here’s an updated forecast of snowfall expected in New York City, with many areas potentially in line for up to 36 inches or three feet.

Meanwhile, a parking ban has just come into force in certain areas of Boston. See below for a map of effected areas:

And here’s more detail on the road and transit closures in New York, courtesy of a fresh press release from New York governor Andrew Cuomo:

  • For all local and state roads, a travel ban will go into effect at 11 p.m until further notice in the following 13 counties: Bronx, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Ulster, and Westchester.
  • New York City subways and buses will operate only local service beginning at 8 p.m. and service will be suspended beginning at 11 p.m. until further notice.
  • Long Island Rail Road, Metro North, Staten Island Railroad service will be suspended beginning at approximately 11 p.m. until further notice.
  • PATH service will operate on a weekend schedule beginning at 9 p.m. and be suspended at 11 p.m. until further notice.
  • A ban on tandem trailers on I-84, the Long Island Expressway, and the Thruway from Exit 17 to the New York City line, including on I-287 and I-95, went into effect at 4 p.m. and remains in effect until further notice.

The release reiterates that only emergency vehicle will be permitted on closed roads, with any violations potentially punishable with a $300 fine.

Updated

The Metropolitan Transport Authority (MTA) of New York has issued further details on planned service closure. The webpage will keep updating with further information, but here’s the gist:

The MTA is committed to the safety of its customers and its employees, and due to the forecast, will be suspending service on all bus, commuter rail and subway service at 11:00 p.m. this evening. If you don’t have to travel between now and later this evening, we urge you to stay home.

To assist those customers who wanted to leave work early ahead of the storm, 26 extra trains were added to LIRR and Metro-North schedules with those trains departing from Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal.

Prior to full service suspension, express service on several subway lines will be curtailed after the evening rush hour to allow subway trains to be stored underground in anticipation of the storm. Railroad cars will also be moved to locations to protect them from the storm.

Further to that press conference governor Malloy has just announced that Bradley International airport, which serves as a civil and military hub, will close at 7pm tonight for all passenger activity.

Governor Malloy reminds Connecticut residents that a 9pm travel ban will be in place on the roads and advises people to “get off the roads as soon as is possible”.

He says that all non-essential first and second shift state employees should not report for work tomorrow. He encourages all businesses in the state to close on Tuesday to allow employees to observe the travel ban.

Malloy says that 400 National Guardsmen have been called up to assist emergency first responders.

“Connecticut has been down this road before,” Malloy says, “We will again weather this storm.”

Summary

Welcome to our continued live coverage of the powerful winter storm engulfing states across the north-east of America.

Connecticut governor Dan Malloy is currently updating the press on emergency management plans in the state. I’ll bring you live updates on that shortly. Below is a summary of how things stand:

  • Snow began to accumulate up and down the east coast as residents braced for what forecasters said could be a blizzard of historic proportions.
  • Governors across the northeast declared states of emergencies. Airports and schools were to be closed Tuesday. Travel bans were to take effect Tuesday night.
  • The heaviest band of snowfall was expected for eastern Long Island, Connecticut, and eastern Massachusetts including the Boston area. Wind gusts on Long Island were projected to reach as high as 70mph.
  • Forecasts for snow from New York City to Boston and farther north held steady at 18-36 inches.
  • A National Weather Service blizzard warning is in place through early Wednesday.
  • Read a state-by-state guide to travel bans and transportation delays. Most public transportation in the region was to be shut down by late Tuesday.
  • Each state moved emergency response resources – plows, tow trucks, sand, salt and even national guard troops – into position for quick deployment overnight.
  • Officials warned residents not to go out in the storm and to check on neighbors. A state-by-state guide to emergency resources is here. A guide to what to do if you lose power is here.
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