Communities across the Northeast are working to recover from what weather experts are describing as the most devastating winter storm in a decade. The massive blizzard buried much of the region under more than two feet of snow, with Warwick, Rhode Island recording a historic three-foot accumulation.
Residents, city workers, and even a specialized railroad snow removal vehicle known as “Darth Vader” have been working around the clock to clear the unprecedented snowfall. The storm grounded thousands of flights and left hundreds of thousands without electricity.
While transportation systems gradually resume operations and roadways reopen, weather forecasters are already warning that another significant winter storm may be approaching the region.
Although the nor’easter has passed, widespread electrical outages continue to plague the area.
Data from Poweroutage.com shows more than 350,000 Northeast customers remained without power Tuesday morning. During Monday’s storm peak, outages exceeded 600,000, with Massachusetts bearing the brunt of the electrical disruptions.
Eversource utility company reported that Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and other oceanfront areas endured the storm’s most intense conditions and sustained the heaviest infrastructure damage. The company warned that complete power restoration could require several days.
Census data indicates approximately 20% of Massachusetts residents rely on electricity for home heating, while most use natural gas and another 20% depend on fuel oil or kerosene for warmth.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared Tuesday a normal school day for over one million students in America’s largest public education system, even playfully challenging critics to throw snowballs at him over the controversial decision.
Many families appeared ready to accept the mayor’s snowball challenge as they navigated towering snow piles and avoided salt trucks during Tuesday morning school runs.
“We’re walking on thin ice here. One more day would’ve been fine,” commented Danielle Obloj, whose fifth-grade child attends a Brooklyn school. “They should never have let these kids come back to school.”
However, some parents praised the city’s snow removal efforts.
“It was much better than last time — an easy commute, no problems whatsoever,” stated Raul Garcia while stepping out of a taxi with his three school-aged children. “We thought it was going to be really bad walking, but looking at the streets, they’re so clean.”
As Monday’s blizzard subsided, an enormous snowball battle broke out in Washington Square Park, though not all winter activities remained lighthearted.
A widely-shared video captured two overwhelmed police officers being bombarded with snowballs and physically pushing some participants in frustration while attempting to leave the scene.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch acknowledged the department’s awareness of the footage, condemning the conduct as “disgraceful” and “criminal.”
Mayor Mamdani’s announcement that schools would resume in-person classes Tuesday sparked debate about the practicality of the decision with snow still blocking sidewalks throughout the city.
Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella argued schools should stay closed, while United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew characterized the situation as “a big mess.”
“There’s going to be low attendance of students, you’re going to have low attendance of staff because people don’t know if they can travel, if they can get to schools,” he explained.
Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels defended the decision in a social media post, stating “We are confident in our decision to reopen.”
