States of emergency in NY, NJ as Winter Storm ‘Juno’ pummels northeast

A man strolls on a walking path at Liberty State Park, with the Statue of Liberty in the distance, Monday, Jan. 26, 2015, in Jersey City, New Jersey. The Philadelphia-to-Boston corridor of more than 35 million people began shutting down as a monster storm, that could unload a paralyzing 1 to 3 feet of snow, moved through the northeast. AP

NEW YORK–A ferocious winter storm pummeled the northeastern United States on Monday hitting tens of millions of people and forcing the rare cancelation of Broadway shows, as New York’s mayor warned the blizzard could be one of the worst in history.

Winter Storm Juno is expected to dump up to three feet (around a meter) of snow in parts of the northeast and more than 6,330 flights on Monday and Tuesday were canceled, spelling travel misery for thousands. Some residents stockpiled supplies and others raced home to hunker down.

“It could be a matter of life and death, and that’s not being overly dramatic, so caution is required,” New York state Governor Andrew Cuomo warned.

States of emergency were declared in New York and New Jersey and a travel ban imposed in Connecticut, while New York’s famed Broadway and top music venues–including Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan Opera–shelved performances. NBA games were also postponed.

Heavy snow buffeted the region but there was worse to come with Juno expected to escalate into a major storm with poor visibility and dangerous winds overnight that will paralyze parts of New York and New England.

As well as blizzard warnings, flood warnings are also in effect, with officials warning against power outages and falling trees.

Cuomo called out several hundred National Guard to be on standby in New York and Long Island.

‘Pack a real punch’

Commuters poured out of Manhattan offices early, packing out stations as trains laid on extra services to get people home as visibility deteriorated dramatically during the afternoon.

There will be limited service in the New York subway system after 8 p.m., commuter rail services may close at 11 p.m., and a travel ban could be imposed if weather updates merit, Cuomo said.

Officials said 50 percent of flights at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport had been canceled, but said JFK and the city’s LaGuardia Airport would remain open for emergency flights.

Boston’s Logan international airport will see no flights from Monday evening until Wednesday afternoon, reports said.

Both Cuomo and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie compared preparations with those for Hurricane Sandy in 2012, which killed more than 200 people and caused months-long power cuts.

Two men uses umbrella as they walk down New York’s Times Square during a snow storm on January 26, 2015. With deserted train stations and eerily empty streets, Winter Storm Juno emptied New York, the “city that never sleeps.” AFP

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said it would be “most likely to be one of the largest blizzards in the history of New York City.”

“Recognize this as an emergency,” he cautioned. “You can’t underestimate this storm. It’s not a typical storm, it’s going to pack a real punch.”

Record snowfall in the city of New York was 26.9 inches (68 centimeters) following a 16-hour storm in February 2006.

From 11 p.m., all non-emergency vehicles were to be banned until further notice, schools will be closed on Tuesday and scheduled examinations cancelled.

United Nations closes

The United Nations closed its headquarters early and was to remain shut, forcing the cancellation on Tuesday of an important event to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Holocaust.

Meteorologists said the storm would bring crippling conditions and warned that 28 million people were in the possible blizzard zone.

Christie, a probable Republican candidate for the White House in 2016, said state offices would be closed for non-essential staff and warned that transit systems were unlikely to work Tuesday.

“We’ve had Hurricane Irene, Hurricane Sandy. For better or for worse, we know how to deal with these situations,” he said.

The heaviest snow is likely to be in New England. Thunder and lightning could also accompany the heavy snow, meteorologists said.

Gusts of wind are forecast to reach up to 55 miles (about 90 kilometers) per hour and more than 70 mph in eastern Massachusetts, including Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard.

De Blasio said New York had deployed more than 1,800 snow plows, and would have 40 percent more ambulances and 500 more fire fighters on duty to cope with the crisis.– Jennie Matthew