A powerful nor’easter blanketed the region with snow, making it New York’s snowiest day in two years.

(CNN) — A powerful and fast-moving nor’easter dumped snow on New York and other major Northeast metropolitan areas on Tuesday, causing power outages and disrupting travel, work and public school classes. This is breaking news.

Here’s the latest news:

• Heavy snowfall: More than a foot of snow fell from Pennsylvania to Connecticut. Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New Jersey saw at least 15 inches of snow.
• New York’s snowiest day in two years: A total of 8 centimeters of snow fell in New York’s Central Park, making it the snowiest day since January 29, 2022. This ended a record drought of 744 consecutive days as at least 5 centimeters or more of snow covered the city in one go. By Tuesday afternoon, the snow had stopped falling.

• Power Outage: According to PowerOutage.us, more than 130,000 customers were without power in Pennsylvania and thousands more in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Maryland, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Virginia. Thick, wet snow weighed down and snapped tree branches across the region, and gusts of wind made conditions worse.
• Over 1,000 flights cancelled: The storm made air travel difficult throughout the Northeast. According to FlightAware, of the more than 1,100 flights canceled in the U.S. this Tuesday, the vast majority originated or destination major airports in New York, Boston and New Jersey.
• What is a “nor’easter” and how does this weather phenomenon occur?

• A Complicated Morning: More than 250 traffic accidents were reported to New Jersey State Police, Gov. Phil Murphy said during a morning interview on 1010 WINS.
• Affected Schools: New York City public schools switched to distance learning on this day. Elsewhere, classes were canceled in city districts including Boston; Newark, New Jersey; and New Haven, Connecticut.

• High winds and flooding along the coast: Coastal flood warnings are in effect for parts of the New Jersey and Delaware coasts until early Wednesday morning as winds of 30 to 40 mph push water ashore. Between two and three feet of coastal flooding is also possible during Tuesday night’s high tide from New Jersey to southern New England, including Long Island and Connecticut.
• Residents are urged to stay home: Governors of several states, including New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts, are urging people to work from home and avoid non-essential travel amid concerns about snow and high winds. The New Jersey Department of Transportation issued a ban on commercial vehicles on several interstate highways in coordination with other states on Tuesday.
• What is a “nor’easter” and how does this weather phenomenon occur?

• Winter Storm Warning: A weather watch and winter storm warning extends Tuesday from the northern tip of Virginia into Pennsylvania and along the coast from New Jersey to Massachusetts. The heaviest snow band is expected to be quite narrow and snowfall amounts can vary significantly between cities separated by only 30 to 50 kilometers.
• Strong winds and floods Coastal: From New Jersey to southern New England, including Long Island and Connecticut, coastal flooding between 60 and 90 centimeters is expected at high tide. Coastal winds can reach 72 kmph. Cape Cod can experience damaging winds of 60 mph.

How much snow fell in the northeastern US

Officers prepare for dangerous situations

The snowy weather will bring quite a change of pace for the region, as many northeastern cities are experiencing their warmest winters on record. Historically, February is the snowiest month of the year for many of the region’s major cities due to northeasterly systems.

“This is how Mother Nature is sending her love for Valentine’s Day, with the biggest snowstorm in New York City in three years,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said Tuesday morning on 1010 WINS. “We’ve been preparing for this, and you can see it starting to unfold now.”

Hochul said officials are working to keep trains and subway lines running as close to schedule as possible.

“People are used to a fairly mild winter, so take all necessary precautions,” Hochul said on Monday. “If they can work remotely, great, because we want to make sure our roads are clear for snow plows as always.”

The governor acknowledged Tuesday that winter storms can be treacherous at times, but she encouraged New Yorkers to enjoy the snow.

“It’s a great day for kids to stay at home and learn remotely,” Hochul said. “Make sure the kids are doing their work, but at the end of the school day, go out and have fun.”

In Massachusetts, where Boston can register Up to 18 cm of snowGovernor Maura Haley warned that the snow may be too heavy for plows.

In New Jersey, Murphy warned people to “take this seriously” as parts of the state could expect up to a foot of deep, wet snow. The state’s transport commissioner urged residents to stay home and exercise “extreme caution” if they must venture out.

— CNN meteorologists Eric Zerkel and Sara Tonks and CNN’s Rob Frehse, Sarah Dewberry, Nick F. Anderson, Nikki Brown and Selina Tabor contributed to this report.