New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani posted a cryptic tweet of the number "114" without explanation on Friday afternoon, prompting confusion and criticism from residents. The tweet referenced Manchester City football club being found guilty of 114 Premier League breaches; however, the timing proved controversial as the city was preparing for a severe nor'easter storm. Critics argued the post demonstrated misplaced priorities during an emergency situation.

A major nor'easter storm was forecast to impact the Northeast from Friday evening through the weekend, with wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour, rainfall of up to three inches (potentially five inches in localised areas), and coastal flooding. Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency whilst Mayor Mamdani issued a travel advisory. Major airlines including American, JetBlue, Delta, United and Southwest issued travel alerts and reimbursement offers across multiple northeastern airports, with millions of travellers across the region expected to face disruption.