Snowstorm brings Northeast to a standstill as 60 million face warnings with icy chaos halting holiday travel

The Northeast is in the midst of a severe snowstorm, dampening travel plans for millions of Americans after Christmas, as California recovers from catastrophic flooding, which left three people dead. 

Some 60 million people were under winter weather alerts from New York to Philadelphia this weekend, with about 5 to 8 inches of snow is expected throughout the region, according to Fox Weather. 

Higher snowfall amounts may be seen in the lower Hudson Valley, located just north of New York City. In Pawling, New York, about seven inches of snow had been recorded as of 8:15pm on Friday.

The wintry weather was expected from north-central New Jersey through New York City into southern Connecticut.

Officials across the tri-state area have warned Americans to stay off the roads if possible and exercise caution if travel is absolutely necessary. 

The effects have already been seen at US airports, where there have been more than 8,100 delays and over 2,100 cancellations as of 11:30pm ET.

Ahead of the snow, New Jersey Acting Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way declared a state emergency across her entire state. 

‘Starting this afternoon, we will experience a severe winter storm bringing dangerous outdoor conditions to our state,’ said Acting Governor Way. 

‘This storm will cause dangerous road conditions and impact holiday travel. We are urging travelers to avoid travel during the storm and allow crews to tend to the roads… and follow all safety protocols.’ 

Fox News reporter Brooke Taylor likened herself to the Grinch during a live broadcast, telling Americans that snowstorms across the country will make traveling even more difficult.

Taylor shared a clip of the Friday newscast on X, saying, ‘Today I got the job of the Christmas grinch- it’s a rough travel day for those trying to get home with thousands of flights canceled and delayed because of winter storms.’

Reporting from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Taylor said it was going to be ‘a rough one’.

‘We’re dealing with weather across the country that’s having an impact on thousands of flights,’ she said. 

‘If you live in New York City, forecasters say you are about to see the most snow in years.’

Mayor Eric Adams has issued his own alert as the city faces its first winter storm warning in three years.

‘As New Yorkers continue to celebrate the holidays and prepare to celebrate the new year, they should also prepare for hazardous travel conditions Friday into Saturday,’ Adams said in a statement. 

‘New York City agencies have been coordinating and are prepared for the winter weather system, and we continue to monitor conditions closely.’

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont had much the same to say for his state, most parts of which are under winter storm warnings.

‘Shortly after sunset tonight, the snow is going to pick up quickly and come down at rates that can be dangerous while driving,’ Lamont said. 

‘If you need to travel, we strongly recommend leaving early and getting to where you need to be before sunset tonight. Our fleet of state snowplows are ready to clear the roads, and they can get their jobs done more easily the fewer vehicles there are out driving.’

The Connecticut Department of Transportation has 650 snowplows on standby ready to clear the roads when called upon, Lamont added.

Freezing rain is possible overnight in parts of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, making highway travel possibly very hazardous come morning.

National Weather Service meteorologist Andrew Kienzle said the stretch of Interstate 80 between the Pennsylvania counties of Venango, Clarion and Jefferson are expected to be the hardest hit.

‘Travel along I-80 tomorrow could be unbelievably dangerous … such that if you can avoid traveling on I-80 tomorrow, please do, just because travel up there will be so hazardous,’ Kienzle said.

‘No matter how much ice there is on the roads, any ice on the roads is really impactful and can be especially dangerous for drivers, especially with tomorrow being a pretty big holiday travel day with people heading home from Christmas travel,’ he added.

This comes as large swathes of California, from the north all the way down to San Diego County, were hit with a record-breaking storm on Christmas day.

The storm dumped rain on the region, which unleashed deadly flooding, falling trees and powerful waves all over the state.

The horrendous weather triggered mudslides and emergency evacuations as families celebrated Christmas Day under flood warnings, power outages and road closures.

Authorities confirmed the three fatalities across different regions of the state as emergency crews scrambled through the holiday to rescue residents trapped by rising water and collapsing hillsides.

Authorities reported widespread road closures, water rescues and door-to-door evacuations as torrents of mud and debris surged through burn-scarred terrain unable to absorb the rainfall.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department ordered evacuations for multiple mountain communities up to the Los Angeles County line Wednesday evening, warning residents of life-threatening mudslides and rushing water.

Similar orders were issued for the Palisades, Sunset, Hurst and Ridgewood areas, where Los Angeles police officers personally knocked on doors of homes deemed most vulnerable.

Officials told The Associated Press that about 380 homes were placed under evacuation orders.