February 24, 2026 — U.S. Northeast A powerful bomb cyclone, unofficially named Winter Storm Hernando or the Blizzard of 2026, struck from Philadelphia to Boston and beyond on February 22-23, dumping 2-3 feet of snow, triggering over 600,000 power outages, more than 3,500 flight cancellations nationwide, school closures across millions of students, and travel bans including New York City’s first in over a decade.
The storm produced whiteout conditions with wind gusts up to 75 mph, leading to states of emergency in seven states and blizzard warnings affecting more than 40 million people, according to NBC News live updates. Snowfall records were shattered, including 36.2 inches in Warwick, R.I., 27 inches near Westhampton, N.Y., and a Rhode Island state record of 32 inches.
Huge snowstorm in the Northeast forces millions to stay home, disrupts flights and closes schools.
AP News reported cascading blizzard warnings across the East Coast, while USA Today covered the halting of travel and power knockouts affecting millions. In Massachusetts, Gov. Maura Healey issued a travel ban for three counties amid forecasts of up to 3 feet of snow, as noted by the @BostonGlobe on X.
Fox Weather tracking the bomb cyclone’s path and impacts (source).
The ABC News analysis compared the event to the 1978 blizzard, highlighting totals like 26 inches in Rhode Island and 24 inches in Massachusetts. CNN provided live updates from Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia on whiteouts and outages.
FEET, NOT INCHES… up to TWO FEET of snow… power outages, mandatory travel ban.
New York City schools reopened amid the storm, per AP live coverage, while South Florida travelers were stranded due to Northeast shutdowns, according to @SunSentinel on X. The event marked one of the most significant storms in the 2025-26 winter season.
