Feb. 23, 2026 — A powerful nor’easter described as a historic blizzard and bomb cyclone struck the Northeast United States from New Jersey to Massachusetts, burying areas in up to 2 feet of snow, triggering travel bans across multiple states, and causing power outages for more than 600,000 customers.
The storm prompted blizzard warnings affecting over 40 million people, with record snowfall including 36.2 inches near Providence, Rhode Island, 27.1 inches at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, and 19.7 inches at New York City’s Central Park, according to CNN and NBC News live updates.
States of emergency were declared in New Jersey, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and others, as governors mobilized resources amid whiteout conditions and wind gusts up to 80 mph. New York City lifted its travel ban at noon ET but maintained a hazardous travel advisory until midnight, while Massachusetts imposed a nonessential ground travel ban on its south coast. Similar restrictions persisted in Connecticut for commercial vehicles and Hoboken, New Jersey, until 4 p.m., per NBC reports.
More than 10,000 flights were canceled nationwide, with over 2,500 in the New York area alone, grounding operations at JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, and Boston Logan airports. Power outages peaked above 650,000 customers, worst in Massachusetts (nearly 300,000) and New Jersey (over 135,000), slowing restoration due to downed lines and stranded crews, as detailed in CNN and New York Times coverage.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated,
The worst has passed… These are dangerous conditions. Not only is snow continuing to fall, accumulated snowfall and refreezing have made it hazardous to travel.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey added,
This is a serious storm, and there are dangerous road conditions out there… We’ve got to be able to get snow cleared as quickly as possible, so that we can get power restored as quickly as possible.
Over 350 vehicles were stranded in Massachusetts, with reports of overturned plow trucks and coastal flooding in New Jersey and Massachusetts. Philadelphia described travel as “nearly impossible,” urging residents to stay indoors.
Snow was expected to taper off by early evening in most areas, though New England coasts faced continued gusts and drifts overnight. Public schools in New York City canceled classes Monday but planned to reopen Tuesday.
