New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has declared a state of emergency, ordering the shutdown of the city’s entire traffic network for all but emergency travel as a severe snowstorm hits the northeast United States.

“NYC, we’ve declared a local state of emergency ahead of this blizzard. Stay safe, New York,” he posted on X late on Sunday.

The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that a severe winter storm would bring heavy snow, strong winds, and coastal flooding from the coastal mid-Atlantic to Maine through Monday.

Snowfall rates of up to 3 inches (7.6cm) per hour will occur at times, with snowfall totals as high as 12 to 24 inches (30.5-61cm), resulting in “nearly impossible travel conditions”, the NWS said. Gusts of up to 60mph (100km/h) were likely late Sunday and into Monday, it added.

Power outages are also anticipated due to strong winds combined with the weight of heavy, wet snow, it added. As of 7:30pm on Sunday (00:30 GMT on Monday), at least 22,895 customers were without power in the state of New Jersey, according to tracking website poweroutage.us.

Blizzard warnings have been issued by the weather service in New York state’s NYC and Long Island; Boston, Massachusetts; as well as coastal communities in New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland and Rhode Island. Emergency declarations were issued in New York and New Jersey in advance of the storm, as officials mobilised readiness efforts.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had a major nor’easter and major blizzard of this magnitude across the Northeast,” Cody Snell, a meteorologist at the NWS’s Weather Prediction Center, told The Associated Press news agency. “This is definitely a major winter storm and a major impact for this part of the country,” he said.

The NWS in Boston warned of a “Potentially Historic/Destructive Storm” southeast of the Boston-Providence corridor, writing on X that it was “very concerned” about heavy snow and winds causing power outages.

On Sunday evening, the storm had already begun to hit New York, reducing visibility to the extent that the skyscrapers of Wall Street were barely visible from the adjacent borough of Brooklyn.

In New York, with a population of more than eight million, Mamdani said streets, highways and bridges would be shut down from 9pm on Sunday (02:00 GMT, Monday) until noon (17:00 GMT) Monday.

“New York City has not faced a storm of this scale in the last decade,” he said, explaining the state of emergency. “We are asking New Yorkers to avoid all nonessential travel.”

The ban will not apply to essential workers or people who need to travel due to emergencies.

Brooklyn resident Brandon Smith, 33, complained that workplaces remained open, even if the roads were not.

“It’s gonna be difficult for most New Yorkers to get around because we still have to go to work. It’s unfortunate roads are suspended as jobs are not gonna stop calling us in,” he told the AFP news agency.

The Offshore Patrol Vessel P 628, which was formally handed over to the Sri Lanka Navy by the U.S. Coast Guard in December 2025, departed for Sri Lanka from Baltimore, United States on 20th February 2026. The home bound journey began, after the modernization work of the ship to suit the operational needs of the Sri Lanka Navy.

The EX-United States Coast Guard Cutter, USCGC Decisive was officially handed over to the Sri Lanka Navy on 02 Dec 25, as the latest addition to the SLN fleet under the Pennant Number P 628. Upon her arrival in Sri Lanka, the ship is scheduled to be formally commissioned into the fleet.

Measuring 64 metres in length, this ‘B-Type Reliance Class 210-foot Cutter’ is equipped with advanced technological systems and facilities, capable of conducting extensive surveillance operations spanning up to 6,000 nautical miles per patrol.

The vessel’s voyage to Colombo is historic, possibly marking the longest-ever passage undertaken by a Sri Lanka Navy ship. Covering approximately 14,775 nautical miles, the journey will see the P 628 navigate from Baltimore through the Atlantic Ocean, the Panama Canal (a first for a Sri Lankan naval vessel), the Pacific Ocean, and into the Indian Ocean via the Straits of Malacca. The ship is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka during the first week of May 2026.

During the transit, the P 628 is scheduled to make port calls to replenish supplies and services, providing opportunities to further strengthen diplomatic ties with partner nations.

This transfer represents the fourth vessel provided to the Sri Lanka Navy by the United States Coast Guard, reinforcing a long-standing partnership aimed at addressing common maritime challenges.

The 169th birth anniversary celebration of Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of the World Scouting Movement, and World Scout Thinking Day, was held on 22 February at the National Scout Headquarters, with the participation of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister emphasized that the Scouting Movement is not merely about holding positions, but a noble form of training that nurtures readiness to help others and to serve society while “being prepared.”

She further highlighted the importance of serving society as a disciplined and intelligent “smart” Scout who respects others while effectively using modern technology. The Prime Minister also called upon Scouts to contribute responsibly to safeguarding the nation’s future through environmentally friendly initiatives such as tree planting and the protection of water resources.

During the event, laptops were symbolically distributed to several districts under the Scout Digitalization Project, along with the provision of first-aid kits. Additionally, Chief Scout Commissioner Attorney-at-Law Manoj Nanayakkara presented the Prime Minister with a special Scout stamp collection and a commemorative cover.

The occasion was attended by the Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri, officials of the Sri Lanka Scout Association, and a large number of Scouts from across the island.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)