Feb. 23, 2026 — New York City A powerful nor’easter, known as Winter Storm Hernando or the Blizzard of 2026, has unleashed blizzard conditions across the Northeast from Maryland to Maine, piling up 2-3 feet of snow in parts of New Jersey, New York City, Long Island and New England, with wind gusts up to 98 mph, over 600,000 power outages and thousands of flight cancellations.
The storm, undergoing explosive cyclogenesis into a bomb cyclone, prompted New York Governor Kathy Hochul to declare a state of emergency for 22 counties and activate the National Guard. New York City is under its first blizzard warning since 2017, while New Jersey faces its first statewide since 1996. Seven governors, including those of New Jersey, Rhode Island and Connecticut, issued emergency declarations, with travel bans in place.
Snow accumulations reached record levels, including 33 inches in Providence, Rhode Island—shattering the previous single-storm record—and 19.7 inches in New York City, its ninth-highest on record. Dozens of towns reported over two feet, with rates of 2-3 inches per hour. Winds exceeded 75 mph sustained, gusting to 98 mph at Wellfleet, Massachusetts, meeting blizzard criteria with near-zero visibility.
“This appears to be the most historic blizzard we’ve received in a decade,” said Josh Estrella, a spokesman for the city of Providence.
Power outages affected more than 600,000 customers, with nearly 300,000 in Massachusetts alone and 85% of Barnstable County dark. Coastal flooding occurred along shorelines, and two fatalities were reported in Maryland from a falling tree.
Heavy snow and strong winds impact New York, as warned by state officials. Image from @NYSDHSES X post.
Transportation ground to a halt: over 5,500 flights canceled nationwide, including nearly 3,000 at New York-area airports; NJ Transit suspended all service; Amtrak canceled routes; and roads saw bans and accidents. Public transit in Philadelphia and New York City was throttled, with plowing challenged by winds.
The NYS Division of Homeland Security warned of snowfall rates of 2-3 inches per hour, gusts to 65 mph and possible outages in NYC, Long Island and the Mid-Hudson.
Heavy snow and strong winds will impact the state this afternoon through Monday. Blizzard conditions are expected in NYC, LI & portions of the Mid-Hudson. Snowfall rates of 2-3″/hour are expected. Gusty winds up to 65 mph may cause power outages. Coastal flooding is possible.
Impacts shifted to New England by afternoon, with heavy snow continuing until nightfall. Restoration efforts face multi-day delays in hardest-hit areas.
