Travel ban extended in New York City as blizzard continues

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced at a 12:30 p.m. press conference that the Long Island Expressway and Northern State Parkway would close beginning at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. The travel ban was to start at 2:30 p.m.

“This storm has come in wetter, strong and further north than most of the models predicted”, said John Davitt, chief meteorologist for NY1, a New York City 24-hour cable news station. Only emergency vehicles are allowed out. There are no plans to shut down any systems entirely, but service could be curtailed, Cuomo said.

Up to 85 million people have been in the path of the storm, which also caused motorists to be stranded on major highways in at least three states from Friday to Saturday.

“If you are out on the street, get in now”, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

Mayor Bill de Blasio warned that more than 20 inches (50 centimeters) of snow was expected to accumulate in the city and that the storm could prove unprecedented since records began in the 19th century.

De Blasio described the storm as “packing a lot of punch”.

Approximately 90,000 residents were without power in coastal counties in New Jersey. “We have seen these low-lying areas…flooding more frequently than we have ever seen before”. At the Cape May Harbor, a new record high tide was registered.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie also declared a state of emergency. “We actually have more emergency response equipment than we’ve had in the past, so once the storm finishes we’ll be in a better position to clean up after the storm”, said Cuomo.

Pennsylvania: Cars and buses were stuck on a westbound portion of the Pennsylvania Turnpike between Breezewood and New Stanton, State Police Capt. Brian Milore told CNN.