A state of emergency has been declared in New York and New Jersey as the region braces for what forecasters warn could be its most significant snowfall in years. The major winter storm, arriving on Saturday 27 December 2025, has already triggered widespread travel chaos, with flights grounded and authorities deploying a huge fleet of snow-clearing equipment across New York City.
Travel Chaos and Official Warnings
The impact on travel has been severe and widespread. New York's three major airports are experiencing significant delays and cancellations, contributing to a national tally of over 6,000 delays and 15,000 cancelled flights. The disruption has extended to Philadelphia and even airports in Florida, causing havoc during one of the year's busiest travel periods.
Officials have issued stark warnings to the public. New York Governor Kathy Hochul, in a statement on Friday, encouraged everyone to monitor forecasts and avoid unnecessary travel. "If you have to travel, plan ahead, take it slow, and leave plenty of time," she advised. Echoing this, New Jersey Governor Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency due to the "severe snowstorm," pleading with residents to "remain off the roads unless necessary."
City Prepares for Major Accumulation
New York City Mayor Eric Adams took to social media to confirm the city's readiness, posting: "That white stuff is coming, NYC! We're ready for however much we get." His administration later shared images of the city's preparedness, with salt spreaders and snowploughs deployed en masse. The New York City Department of Sanitation has prepared a staggering 700 million pounds of salt to treat roads expected to become treacherous with ice.
According to the National Weather Service, the New York City area was forecast to receive between two and five inches of snow, with northern areas seeing up to six inches. Further out, from upstate New York to Long Island, predictions were more severe, with six to 11 inches likely and up to 12 inches possible in some places.
Avalanche Danger in Western Resorts
While the Northeast bore the brunt of the travel disruption, the severe weather also brought danger to the West. At Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in California, two ski patrollers were injured in an avalanche on Friday morning and taken to hospital. The resort has been buried under more than five feet of snow since Tuesday. In the Sierra Nevada, snowfall rates of up to two inches per hour were expected, making mountain passes extremely dangerous. This follows a rescue on Thursday of a backcountry skier buried in an avalanche near the Mount Rose ski resort in Nevada.
Residents React to the Big Freeze
Despite the official warnings and travel misery, some New Yorkers found moments of levity in the wintry conditions. Photographs from the city showed residents gathering on Brooklyn's Washington Street to watch the snow fall, a pedicab driver dressed as The Grinch in a snowy Times Square, and even a person riding a unicycle through the blanketed streets. The last time New York experienced a comparable snowfall was in 2022, when eight inches settled in Central Park.
With the state of emergency in force and the full force of the storm yet to pass, authorities continue to urge extreme caution. The combination of heavy snow, high winds, and freezing temperatures is set to test the region's resilience throughout the weekend.
