Mayor Mamdani Imposes Historic Travel Ban as Record-Breaking Winter Storm Breaks

NEW YORK — Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a citywide travel ban for non-essential vehicles effective immediately on Monday, February 23, 2026, as a historic nor’easter dumped more than 30 inches of snow across the five boroughs, bringing New York City to a virtual standstill and prompting the most severe weather emergency in more than a decade.

The ban, announced at an early morning press conference at City Hall, prohibits all private vehicles, taxis, rideshares and delivery trucks from operating on city streets except for emergency and essential personnel. Public transit remains operational but severely limited, with subway service reduced to essential lines and buses operating on skeleton schedules. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority reported that several subway lines were suspended due to flooding in tunnels and downed power affecting signals.

“New Yorkers, this is not a typical snowstorm,” Mamdani said, flanked by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh. “We are facing historic snowfall rates, whiteout conditions and wind gusts exceeding 50 mph. This travel ban is necessary to protect lives, allow plows to clear streets and prevent gridlock that could trap emergency vehicles.”

The National Weather Service office in Upton upgraded the storm to a full blizzard warning for all five boroughs through Tuesday evening, forecasting total accumulations of 28–36 inches in Manhattan, 30–40 inches in Brooklyn and Queens, and up to 45 inches in parts of Staten Island and the Bronx. Wind gusts reached 58 mph at John F. Kennedy International Airport and 62 mph at Battery Park, creating whiteout conditions and blowing snow drifts up to 6 feet high in some neighborhoods.

The storm, which began intensifying Friday night, February 20, has already set several records. Central Park recorded 31.8 inches by 6 a.m. Monday — surpassing the previous February single-storm record of 27.3 inches set in 2006 — and is on pace to become the third-snowiest storm in city history, trailing only the 2009–10 blizzard (33.9 inches) and the 1888 Great Blizzard (40.5 inches over two days).

More than 1,200 flights were canceled at JFK, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International Airport combined, stranding thousands of travelers. Amtrak suspended service between New York and Boston, while NJ Transit and Metro-North trains operated limited schedules. The Port Authority reported the Lincoln and Holland tunnels closed to non-essential traffic, and all East River bridges restricted to emergency vehicles.

Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency Saturday night, activating the National Guard and coordinating with FEMA for resources. More than 3,000 National Guard members were deployed across the state, with 1,200 assigned to New York City to assist with snow removal, medical transport and shelter operations. The city opened more than 80 warming centers and expanded shelter capacity for unhoused residents.

The NYPD reported more than 400 weather-related 911 calls in the 24 hours ending at 6 a.m. Monday, including reports of stranded motorists, roof collapses and carbon monoxide incidents from generators used improperly. FDNY responded to 187 structural fires and 62 medical emergencies linked to the storm. At least three fatalities were confirmed statewide — two in upstate New York from cardiac events during shoveling and one motorist in a multi-vehicle crash on the Long Island Expressway — though no deaths had been reported in the city as of midday Monday.

Power outages affected more than 120,000 customers in the five boroughs and Westchester County, with Consolidated Edison reporting widespread damage to overhead lines from ice and wind. Restoration crews worked through the night, but officials warned some outages could persist into Tuesday.

Mamdani emphasized enforcement of the travel ban, noting that violators face fines up to $500 and possible vehicle impoundment. Essential workers — including healthcare personnel, utility crews, food delivery drivers with proper permits and journalists — are exempt but must carry documentation. The mayor urged residents to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary, warning that visibility in many neighborhoods dropped below 50 feet.

The storm is expected to taper off late Monday into Tuesday, with temperatures rising into the upper 30s by midweek, potentially causing rapid snowmelt and flooding in low-lying areas. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for coastal sections starting Tuesday afternoon.

New Yorkers have been urged to prepare for extended disruptions: schools across the city and suburbs remain closed Monday and Tuesday, trash collection is suspended, and alternate side parking regulations are waived until further notice. The city distributed more than 200,000 salt bags to residents and deployed 1,800 plows and salt spreaders, though officials acknowledged that clearing side streets and sidewalks would take days.

Mamdani’s travel ban — the first full citywide prohibition since Superstorm Sandy in 2012 — reflects the severity of the event. “This is not business as usual,” he said. “We are asking every New Yorker to do their part so emergency services can do theirs.”

As the city digs out, the storm is already being called one of the most significant winter events in modern New York history, testing infrastructure, emergency response and community resilience in the face of extreme weather made more unpredictable by climate change.