Photo: VisualCommunications / iStock / Getty Images
A powerful nor'easter is sweeping across the Northeast this Monday (February 23), placing parts of the Capital Region under a winter weather advisory until 7 p.m. tonight — though Albany itself largely dodged the worst of the storm, waking up to little more than a dusting of snow overnight.
According to the Times Union, the National Weather Service says the nor'easter will strengthen as it pushes toward coastal New England. A blizzard warning remains active for Ulster, Dutchess, Orange, and Putnam counties, where more than a foot of snow is expected before the storm moves out this afternoon. Greene, Columbia, and the eastern portion of Rensselaer County remain under a winter storm warning, and only a few inches are expected in the Albany area and Mohawk Valley. Areas to the north are forecast to receive less than an inch.
Still, the storm's reach is being felt locally. Schools throughout the Capital Region and Hudson Valley closed or delayed the start of classes Monday (February 23). Hudson Valley Community College in Troy and Russell Sage Colleges in Albany and Troy are both closed.
Albany International Airport is also feeling the ripple effects of the broader storm. Flights to and from New York City, Washington, Philadelphia, and Fort Lauderdale have been canceled, and several arrivals from Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia are delayed. Even though little snow fell locally, the airport is dealing with plane shortages caused by mass cancellations at other airports along the East Coast. Travelers are urged to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
As of 7:15 a.m., National Grid crews were responding to a power outage in the Ballston Spa area affecting roughly 300 customers. In Ulster County, about 400 Central Hudson customers lost power, while about 40 customers in Dutchess County were also in the dark. No widespread outages have been reported across the broader Capital Region.
As reported by U.S. News & World Report, the storm's impact has been far more severe downstate and across the broader Northeast. About 41 million people are under blizzard warnings stretching from Maryland to Maine. New York City is under its first blizzard warning since 2017, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a state of emergency and ordered non-essential vehicles off city streets from Sunday night through noon today. New York City public schools are closed, with no remote instruction offered.
Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency Sunday and activated more than 100 National Guard members to assist Long Island, New York City, and the Lower Hudson Valley. "The worst is yet to come," Hochul warned Sunday, adding that the storm could rank among the top 10 worst winter storms in the last 150 years for New York City.
According to NBC News, more than 5,300 flights have been canceled for Monday (February 23) nationwide, with New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Liberty International Airport topping the list of the most disrupted. As of early this morning, more than 100,000 utility customers across the Northeast had lost power, including tens of thousands in New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware.
NJ Transit suspended bus, light rail, and Access Link service Sunday evening, and halted statewide rail service by Sunday night. Amtrak's schedule has also been disrupted, though most trips between Albany and New York City appear to remain on schedule for now.
Governors in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania have all declared states of emergency. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro ordered 150 National Guard members to stand ready for Philadelphia and northeastern Pennsylvania.
Residents across the region are urged to avoid unnecessary travel, monitor local conditions, and check weather.gov for the latest forecasts and alerts. The winter weather advisory for parts of the Capital Region remains in effect until 7 p.m. tonight.