New York City was hit hard this Sunday by a blizzard that covered Central Park in 20 inches of snow, shut down three major airports, prevented emergency workers from responding to 911 calls and paralyzed subways and buses.
It’s no surprise that the blizzard– the city’s sixth largest snowstorm on record– was dubbed “Snowmageddon.”
The following images were taken by Downtown Traveler readers and show the effects of the storm in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and the suburbs.
Carlos Tejeda snapped a photo of Central Park’s Bethesda Fountain following the blizzard. The fountain overlooks a lake (not visible under mounds of snow) and is a popular spot for summertime weddings.
The storm covered Columbia University in a deep layer of snow. Jenn Aoki captured this shot of the Morningside Heights campus.
Many New Yorkers complained on Tuesday night that snow had not yet been cleared from their streets. When plows did arrive, they pushed the snow from the street onto parked cars, forcing owners to dig out or stay home.
Downtown Traveler reader Karla (above) posed next to a snowed-in car in Parkchester, the Bronx. Fortunately, it’s not hers– so she didn’t have to dig it out!
A young New Yorker trudged through knee-deep snow in this photo taken by a Downtown Traveler reader.
A reader discovered snow covering the hallway and stairs at this subway station on the number 7 line. The train cuts across Queens and ends at Times Square in Manhattan.
As reported by MSNBC, 400 people were trapped on a subway train in Queens during the storm. They spent eight and a half hours huddled together with no food, water or heat.
Delores snapped this photo near 48th Street and Avenue K in Brooklyn. She reported that the blizzard left many streets in the neighborhood impassable; residents were stranded without any buses or dollar vans to take them to work.
Cars, taxis and a city bus navigated a snowy street in Coney Island, Brooklyn in this photo by Pedro Sandoval. Note that each vehicle is facing a different direction– an indication of the dangers posed by unplowed roads.
Some New Yorkers managed to find beauty in the post-storm chaos. Photographer Lauren Koch spotted street art amidst the snow in Astoria, Queens.
The New York City suburbs were also impacted by the December 2010 snow storm. Alyson snapped photos of the beautiful icicles that formed in her Long Island neighborhood.
More photos
Click on the slideshow below to view more images of “Snowmageddon.” All photos were submitted by readers of Downtown Traveler.
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amazing! I have only ever experienced maybe 5 inches of snow! Glad u guys are OK though.. the snow coming into the apartment shot looks hardcore!
Good thing New Yorkers are a hardy bunch… this snow storm was insane!
yikes that looks cold, glad im here in fla where its…. dang its cold here too!!
Nice post Leslie- no one will really ever forget Snowmaggedon for a long while. It might take until Spring to melt it all.
I wish we could get this here in Chicago. It is supposed to be in the 50s on NYE. How horrible.
This would be your dream, Ted! You could cross country ski in Central Park. Maybe you can book a cheap flight to NYC and explore the snow drifts 😉
That was some snow storm! It was a very white (post) Christmas!
Great photos. Had not heard about the people trapped on the subway. That’s pretty bad- and not a loo in sight.
I can’t imagine how frustrating that must have been! I’m actually in SLC Utah this week; I left NYC just hours before the storm. I missed Snowmageddon!
Now that’s some snow. I think London would die if we ever got that much as it can’t handle 4-6 inches now
Seriously. Guess NYC did pretty well considering!
I love these photos! Being from the South and now living in California, I don’t get to experience snow like this so I am fascinated with huge snow storms! I love seeing snow pics like this in Europe and other places as well. However, I actually don’t like cold weather and think I would hate having to deal with all that snow. I still have a fascination with it and love looking at these photos though! My attitude would be much different if I lived in it though! 🙂
The snow always looks magical in the first few hours. It’s the aftermath that’s tricky!
Great pictures. I wish the snow came on Christmas instead of after, but it was still not too late to be in that snow holiday spirit.
Really Great Pics!
Thanks Dawn! I’m amazed at the photography skills of our readers. They really captured the blizzard in all its glory.