Feb. 23, 2026 — New York City A powerful bomb cyclone nor’easter battered the Northeast on Monday, burying cities under up to 33 inches of snow, triggering states of emergency in multiple states including New Jersey, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut, knocking out power to more than 600,000 customers, and canceling over 5,000 flights nationwide.
Providence, Rhode Island, recorded nearly 33 inches at T.F. Green International Airport, marking what one official called the most historic blizzard in a decade, while Newark, New Jersey, saw 27.1 inches, LaGuardia Airport tallied 22.2 inches, New York City’s Central Park measured 19.7 inches, Philadelphia International Airport got 14 inches, and Boston Logan reported 14.4 inches, New York Times live coverage reported. Wind gusts exceeded 60 mph in coastal Massachusetts and reached 84 mph in Montauk, New York, NBC News live blog detailed.
The storm prompted travel bans in parts of Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York City, along with suspensions of NJ Transit services and school closures across the region. More than 2,500 flights were axed at New York-area airports alone, contributing to nationwide totals surpassing 5,300 cancellations.
“This appears to be the most historic blizzard we’ve received in a decade.”
— Josh Estrella, spokesman for the city of Providence
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey urged residents to stay off roads, stating, “The snow is still coming down pretty hard,” while New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced pay boosts for emergency shovelers and advised making soup for neighbors, per NYT updates. Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker warned that travel remained “nearly impossible” in some areas, according to NBC.
Power restoration could take days in hard-hit areas like Cape Cod, where nearly 100% of customers were affected. No deaths were reported in New York City streets as of afternoon, but officials highlighted risks from shoveling and refreezing roads. The National Weather Service confirmed the storm’s rapid intensification met bombogenesis criteria, dropping 41 millibars in 24 hours.
Coastal flooding occurred in spots like Ocean City, New Jersey, and Nantucket, with plowing efforts ongoing amid whiteout conditions. Six to seven states mobilized resources, affecting tens of millions from Maryland to Massachusetts, as covered by AP News, BBC, and USA Today.
