New York snow storm: State outlaws vehicles on roads as ‘life-threatening blizzard’ rolls in

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Cambridge US-snow-1Residents in New York City and other areas are being urged to bunk up inside their homes and avoid going outside as the potentially life-threatening blizzard Winter Storm Juno approaches the US north-east.

Employees and students are housebound, 6,500 flights at airports along the East Coast have been cancelled and New York has banned cars from roads and halted subway trains.

A state of emergency was declared by New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire as the snow blast threatened to affect up to 60 million people in nearly a dozen states.

The National Weather Service warned of “life-threatening blizzard” conditions and “crippling snowfall amounts” of as much as 30 inches (76 cm) of snow on parts of the region. It said winds could gust up to 55 mph (80 kph) around New York City.

Shops were in short supply of shovels, snowblowers, food supplies and other basics as residents prepared for a few days indoors.

“Please stay home,” New Jersey Governor Chris Christie told residents, ordering all but the most essential government workers to stay at home from Monday afternoon until Wednesday at the earliest.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has banned travel for all but emergency vehicles on roads in 13 counties, including New York CityNew York Governor Andrew Cuomo has banned travel for all but emergency vehicles on roads in 13 counties, including New York CityNew York Governor Andrew Cuomo banned travel from 11pm (4am GMT) for all but emergency vehicles on roads in 13 counties, including the 6,000 miles’ worth in New York City, suburban Westchester and Long Island.

He cautioned residents against contravening the driving ban, telling them: “If you are in your car and you are on any road, town, village, city, it doesn’t matter, after 11 o’clock, you will technically be committing a crime.

“It could be a matter of life and death so caution is required.”

He said anyone who violated the ban would be handed a $300 (£198) fine.

The last time severe weather led to the closing of the stock markets was in October 2012 when Superstorm Sandy hit the East with flooding, punishing winds and widespread power outages.

The latest storm posed a fresh challenge to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, under fire from police who criticized his support of public protests about white police violence against black men.

De Blasio was vilified for keeping schools open in the last major storm.

A group take a more light-hearted approach to the blizzard on a deserted street in New York's Times SquareA group take a more light-hearted approach to the blizzard on a deserted street in New York’s Times SquareVacationers and business travelers faced headaches as airlines cancelled around 3,000 US flights, with Boston and New York airports most heavily affected, according to flight-tracking service FlightAware.

New York authorities said “virtually all” flights at LaGuardia Airport on Tuesday would be cancelled and cancellations at John F Kennedy International Airport would be “significant.”

Amtrak suspended rail service on Tuesday between New York and Boston, and into New York state, Vermont, Massachusetts and Maine.

The biggest snowfall on record in New York City came during the storm of February 2006, dropping 26.9 inches (68 cm), according to the city’s Office of Emergency Management.

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