Mamdani puts New Yorkers bracing 26 inches of snow under historic travel ban as map reveals blizzard bomb cyclone's path of destruction: Live updates

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani ordered a citywide travel ban for the Big Apple, effective from 9pm ET on Sunday to 12pm ET on Monday.

'These are blizzard conditions. New York City has not faced a storm of this scale in the last decade,' he said at a Sunday press conference.

'Due to these factors, we are declaring a state of emergency and instituting a travel ban starting at 9pm this evening and ending at 12pm tomorrow. The state of emergency closes the streets, highways and bridges of New York City for all traffic, cars, trucks, scooters, and ebikes, with some specific exemptions for essential and emergency movement.

'We are asking New Yorkers to avoid all non-essential travel. Please, for your safety, stay home, stay inside, and stay off the roads.'

The mayor also detailed the harsh conditions expected to impact the city.

'In total, this storm is projected to drop between 18 and 24 inches across New York City, coming up to 28 in certain areas,' he said at a Sunday press conference,' Mamdani said.

'New Yorkers should also expect dangerous winds later today. They are predicted to reach 35mph with peak speeds of 40mph and 60mph isolated gusts occurring tomorrow morning around 8.00am.

'Additionally, temperatures dropping into the 20s overnight will result in slippery streets, sidewalks and extremely hazardous conditions across our city.'

Forecast radar shows the path of the blizzard bomb cyclone set to wreak havoc on the East Coast.

'As the low center begins to explosively develop late afternoon and tonight, light to moderate snowfall this morning is expected to rapidly increase in coverage and intensity along the I-95 corridor north of Washington DC, where snowfall rates will eclipse 2-3" per hour at times,' the National Weather Service said Sunday morning.

'When combined with strong wind gusts upwards of 40-70 mph, blizzard conditions will quickly materialize from the Eastern Shore of Maryland through southeastern New England, making travel extremely treacherous in these areas.

'As the storm reaches peak intensity tomorrow morning, very heavy blowing snow will extend from Philadelphia to Boston, although by tomorrow afternoon, conditions should begin to improve as the storm exits as quickly as it developed.

'By Monday evening, storm total snowfall of a foot or two can be expected from Coastal New Jersey through Boston.'

The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that the 'potent' Nor'easter will cause blizzard conditions and 'impossible travel' along the I-95 corridor from Baltimore to Boston.

Nearly 54 million people reside in the path of the storm that could dump up to two feet of snow - or 26 inches - and reach wind gusts up to 70mph.

Meteorologists have warned that this type of weather event is extremely rare - and will be spoken about for decades to come because of the intense impact it will have.

The blizzard is set to rewrite the rule book on storms, as the Nor'easter will turn into a bomb cyclone, meaning it will intensify rapidly and could have historic impacts.

Dire warning for East Coast as blizzard brings airports to their knees

Nearly 54 million Americans are bracing for impact from an intense blizzard that is set to blanket major cities in up to two feet of snow.