New York, NY; January 24, 2016: A killer snowstorm paralyzed the East Coast on January 23th effectively shutting down New York City and the nation’s capital, while dumping as much as 3 feet of snow in other areas.
New York City recorded its second-largest snowfall since 1869, with Central Park receiving 26.8 inches by midnight — 0.1 inch shy of tying the record 26.9 inches set in 2006, the National Weather Service said. Baltimore got a record 25.5 inches, breaking a daily record set in 1935, and a measurement of 22.3 inches of snow was taken in Washington, D.C. at midnight.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo closed all roads in New York City and Long Island at 2:30 p.m. Saturday as well as tunnels and bridges going to New Jersey. Above-ground sections of the subway and New York City buses stopped running.
The travel ban was lifted at 7 a.m. Sunday, Cuomo said. “We have made very good progress in cleaning the roads,” Cuomo said in a conference call with reporters. While unusual, Cuomo said the shutdown was necessary because “the storm was fast and furious, and we believe that safety is paramount.”
This weekend’s massive winter storm is now the second largest in New York City’s history. Central Park’s weather station recorded 26.8 inches of snow so far for this storm. The storm secured the third slot earlier in the night, surpassing the blizzard of 1888. The record for the top slot is 26.9 inches of snow, which is from February 2006 — so it’s just 1/10 off from breaking the record. “This is a storm of a lifetime,” said Meteorologist Jeff Smith.
There were three shoveling-related deaths in New York City, officials said. Two people also died while apparently using snow blowers on Long Island Saturday, police said. New York City Police said they had responded to 312 car accidents and 343 disabled vehicles across the city.
With travel prohibited, major landmarks and attractions quickly closed their doors. All Broadway matinee and evening performances were canceled, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art shuttered early.
The winter storm resulted in a travel ban across the city and on Long Island, the shutdown of MTA buses and the closure of above-ground subway lines throughout the city. The travel was lifted early Sunday morning, while mass transit was slowly resuming. Three people — one on Staten Island and two in Queens — died while shoveling snow in the city. Staten Island had the most snow in the city, piling up 31.3 inches of snow!
