Snow is falling: Nor'easter blast turns New York City into a winter wonderland

US offficials do not expect the winter snowstorm to disrupt vaccine distribution

People walk through Manhattan in the snow storm in New York City. AFP

A snowman is seen as snow begins to fall in Times Square, New York. Reuters

A person wearing a dog mask plays with snow in Times Square, Manhattan. Reuters

A man clears snow as snow falls near Bryant park during a Nor'easter, during the coronavirus pandemic in the Manhattan borough of New York City. Reuters

A woman dances in Times Square covered in snow. AFP

US flags flutter in the wind as snow falls near Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. Reuters

People pose for photos as snow falls in Times Square. Reuters

A woman plays with snow in Times Square. Reuters

Snow falls on Christmas trees in New York. EPA

Patrons exit the Long Island Railroad train and are met with snow flurries in Bethpage, New York. Getty Images

A face mask is seen on the ground as snow begins to fall in Times Square. Reuters

A message written in snow on a car window on Manhattan's west side in New York. EPA

People ice skate in Bryant Park in the snow in New York City. AFP

A worker clears snow as snow begins to fall in Times Square. Reuters

A major snowstorm rolled into New York City on Wednesday.

The storm was poised to drop as much as 60cm of snow in some places by Thursday, and the pandemic added new complexities to officials' preparations – deciding whether to close testing sites, figuring out how to handle ploughing amid outdoor dining platforms in New York City streets, redefining school snow days to mean another day of learning from home, and more.

“Our theme today ought to be, ‘If it’s not one thing, it’s another,’” New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said as he gave residents storm guidance that's new this year – mask up if you help your neighbours shovel.

Still, officials said they didn't expect the winter blast to disrupt vaccine distribution, which began on Monday for front-line health care workers, the first group of Americans to get the shots.

The first three million shots are being strictly limited to those workers and to nursing home residents.

The National Weather Service said the storm was “set to bring an overabundance of hazards from the mid-Atlantic to the Northeast,” including freezing rain and ice in the mid-Atlantic, heavy snow in the New York City area and southern New England, strong winds and coastal flooding, and possibly even severe thunderstorms and some tornadoes in North Carolina's Outer Banks.