Blanket driving bans have been lifted and limited New York public transport is to reopen after a night of snowfall that dumped up to 60cm in some areas.

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo said a travel ban would be lifted at 8am local time on Tuesday and limited service on the New York city rail and subway lines would begin at 9am.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie also announced that the travel ban in the state was lifting, but officials still warned against all but essential travel.

"The roads are still dangerous and they are passable but there's a level of ice under the snow in many areas and if you don't have to travel today, you really don't want to," Cuomo said.

"I would expect delays, even with the ploughs and the salting, the roads are not clear so we don't want to give people a false sense of security," he added.

By noon, subway and rail services would run at around 50 per cent of normal weekday operations and be back to normal on Wednesday.

Snowfall varied throughout the New York area, with some parts of the city receiving as little as 10 to 15cm, and LaGuardia airport nearly 30cm.

Long Island was hard hit with 40cm and its eastern tip Suffolk County faced blizzard-like conditions and "serious issues," Cuomo said.

More than 5000 flights within, to and from the United States are cancelled on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to flightaware.com.

Officials defended the blanket travel bans and rail closures, saying it had been prudent to protect lives and equipment.

"You plan the best you can and you lead toward safety," Cuomo said, adding that he had no estimates for loss of business.

"It may actually have brought us back to full operating capacity sooner but I do not criticise weather forecasters. I learn."