NYC BLIZZARD: Everything you need to know about the massive winter storm and its impacts

It’s really coming down out there.

New York City is experiencing its first blizzard since 2016, one that is dropping a massive amount of snow across the area. So far, the falling snow has resulted in travel bans, school closures and a state of emergency declared by Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Here’s what we know so far.

Travel bans

A citywide travel ban went into effect at 9 p.m. on Feb. 22, limiting all road traffic to essential and emergency travel only, and it was officially lifted at 12 p.m. on Feb. 23. All New Yorkers are still urged to stay indoors and limit travel when possible.

The MTA is running on a delay for subways and buses , so if you do need to travel, allow extra time to reach your destination. The LIRR is suspended indefinitely while the storm is taking place.

How much snow has fallen?

Since snow is still falling, these numbers are subject to change, but at the time of publication, at least 15 inches of snow was reported at multiple National Weather Service reporting sites as of 7 a.m. on Feb. 23. In Brooklyn, there is as much as 16 inches of snow in areas of the borough.

Here’s a look at some current snowfall totals:

Crown Heights, Brooklyn: 18 inches as of 7:42 a.m.

Mott Haven, Bronx: 17.9 inches as of 7:15 a.m.

Williamsburg, Brooklyn: 17.4 inches as of 7:50 a.m.

Washington Heights, Manhattan: 17.1 inches as of 7:30 a.m.

Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn: 17 inches as of 7:02 a.m.

Coney Island, Brooklyn: 16 inches as of 5:43 a.m.

Central Park, Manhattan: 15.1 inches as of 7 a.m.

LaGuardia Airport, Queens: 15.1 inches as of 7 a.m.

JFK Airport, Queens: 15 inches as of 7 a.m.

Astoria, Queens: 15 inches as of 8:19 a.m.

Elmhurst, Queens: 15 inches as of 6:20 a.m.

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn: 13.8 inches as of 7:54 a.m.

Grasmere, Staten Island: 12.7 inches as of 3:30 a.m.

Little Neck, Queens: 11 inches as of 5:30 a.m.

School’s out

As you know, all public schools were cancelled for Feb. 23 with no remote learning, giving kids a proper snow day for the first time since 2019. Public schools will be back with in-person classes tomorrow, Feb. 24.

Federal and state courts were also closed today due to the severe weather.

How can I enjoy the snow once it’s safe?

It might be a while before we can go outside, but once we can, New York City has plenty of places to go sledding .

There are also lots of fun ways to make the most of the snow with your kids, like painting the snow or making edible snow treats!