Winter Storm Jonas News Update: New York Governor Issues Travel Ban, NYC Expected to Recieve Over Two Feet of Snow
In wake of Winter Storm Jonas, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a travel ban on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, for New York City and Long Island as the monster snowstorm is expected to dump up to 30 inches of snow.
Starting at 2:30 p.m. ET, the ban prohibits all travel on city streets and state highways along with traffic going to and from New Jersey bridges and tunnels, reports USA Today. Motorists caught on the city streets outside of emergency vehicles would be subjected to heavy fines and even arrest.
Cuomo also announced that starting at 4 p.m., above ground subway stations in New York City would be closed down as well as the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North railroad. Meanwhile, bus service in the Big Apple had already been suspended by 12:30 p.m.
As a result, major New York landmarks were closed while Broadway shows and the New York Rangers game at the Barclays Center were cancelled.
"Matinee and evening performances will be cancelled today," President of The Broadway League Charlotte St. Martin said Saturday in a statement, reports NBC News. "We expect normal operations to resume for tomorrow's Sunday matinees."
According to The National Weather Service, Jonas could bring 24 to 30 inches of snow in New York City, putting it on track to break the city's biggest snowstorm record, which was set in 2006 after a storm dropped 26.9 inches of snow.
However, not only has the deadly snowstorm paralyzed the city that never sleeps, it has also shut down other major cities, roadways and airports along the East Coast. Public transportation in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., were brought to a halt as local officials urged residents to stay home.
Officials say Jonas is also responsible for at least 10 deaths, including a man in Fort Washington, Maryland, who had a heart attack while shoveling snow Saturday morning, reports NBC Washington. In addition, the storm caused power outages for about 250,000 customers along the East Coast, according to The Weather Channel.
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