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A worker shovels snow from the front of a theater in New York's Times Square during a snow storm on January 26, 2015. A winter storm pounded the northeastern United US on January 26 hitting tens of millions of people and forcing the rare cancelation of Broadway shows in an "historic" New York blizzard. Winter Storm Juno is expected to dump up to three feet (around a meter) of snow in parts of the northeast, with the worst affected areas likely to be New England, particularly Connecticut and Massachusetts. More than 6,560 flights on Monday and Tuesday were cancelled, the New York city transit system was to shut at 11pm and road travel made a criminal offense in 13 counties of New York state. AFP PHOTO/JEWEL SAMAD Image Credit: AFP

Broadway theatres are closing as a snowstorm blasts Times Square.

The Broadway League said all plays and musicals will be closed on Monday, a traditionally quiet night with only a few shows available. No firm decision about Tuesday has been made.

A blizzard warning was issued for a 402km stretch of the Northeast, including New York. The city’s mayor has warned of “a storm the likes of which we have never seen before.”

The Broadway League waited some five hours before the first shows were due to start to announce the closing of Broadway, citing a late-night travel ban in the city and other restrictions.

The last time Broadway took a big hit from the weather it was Hurricane Sandy in 2012. That storm darkened Broadway for four days and cost more than $8.5 million (Dh31.2 million) in lost revenue.

Other venues also weren’t taking their chances. The famed Birdland Jazz Club cancelled all Monday shows and two open rehearsals by the New York Philharmonic were scrapped for Wednesday. And Louis C.K.’s show at Madison Square Garden was cancelled for Wednesday.