11 hours agoSun 28 Dec 2025 at 1:49am

People visit Central Park in Manhattan after a snowstorm hit New York.  (Reuters: Kena Betancur)

In short: 

Travel has been disrupted across the north of the United States due to heavy snow. 

At least 1,500 flights were cancelled across the country as some areas received up to 25 centimetres of snow. 

What's next?

A state of emergency has been declared in both New York and New Jersey, with people being urged not to travel in snowy conditions. 

More than 1,000 flights have been cancelled or delayed across the Northeast and Great Lakes regions of the United States due to snow during the busy travel period between Christmas and the new year.

New York City received about 10 centimetres of snow Friday night into early Saturday, local time.  

At least 1,500 flights were cancelled from Friday night, according to flight-tracking service FlightAware. But by the morning, both the roads and the skies were clearing.

Yankee Stadium in New York has been coated in snow.  (AP: Adam Hunger)

"The storm is definitely winding down, a little bit of flurries across the Northeast this morning," Bob Oravec, a Maryland-based forecaster at the National Weather Service, said. 

Mr Oravec said the storm was moving from the north-west toward the south-east, with the largest snowfall in the New York City area reaching over 15cm in central eastern Long Island. Further north in the Catskills, communities saw as much as 25cm of snow.

Some in Central Park are enjoying the snowy conditions.  (Reuters: Kena Betancur)

Newark Liberty International, John F Kennedy International and LaGuardia airports posted snow warnings on the social media platform X on Friday, saying weather conditions could cause flight disruptions.

'Very unexpected'

In Times Square, workers in red jumpsuits worked to clear the sludge and powder-coated streets and sidewalks using shovels and snow blowers.

Jennifer Yokley, who was there on a holiday trip from North Carolina, said she was excited to see snow accumulating as it dusted buildings, trees and signs throughout the city.

"I think it was absolutely beautiful," she said.

Payton Baker and Kolby Gray, who were visiting from West Virginia, said the snow was a Christmas surprise for their third anniversary trip.

"Well, it's very cold, and it was very unexpected," Ms Baker said.

"The city is working pretty well to get all the roads salted and everything, so it's all right."

People are being urged to take care while travelling after the snowstorm.  (Reuters: Kena Betancur)

Ahead of the storm, New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for more than half the state. 

Acting New Jersey Governor Tahesha Way also declared a state of emergency for that state.

"This storm will cause dangerous road conditions and impact holiday travel," Ms Way said in a statement. 

"We are urging travellers to avoid travel during the storm and allow crews to tend to the roads."

Reuters