February 24, 2026 — Northeastern United States
A powerful nor’easter, dubbed the February 2026 North American blizzard or Blizzard of 2026, hammered the Northeast from February 22 to 23, dropping 2 to 3 feet of snow across the region, including a record-breaking 37.9 inches at Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport. Blizzard conditions with winds gusting to 70 mph created life-threatening travel hazards, caused over 600,000 power outages in at least nine states, led to about 8,000 flight cancellations, and prompted states of emergency in seven states affecting more than 40 million people.
The storm, also known as Winter Storm Hernando, originated from a shortwave trough on the West Coast and underwent explosive cyclogenesis off the North Carolina coast, reaching a pressure of 966 mb. It brought heavy snowfall rates of 1-2 inches per hour, thundersnow, and hurricane-force winds in southeastern New England. Rhode Island saw the highest totals, with Providence recording 33 inches and shattering two-day records; other notables included 31.8 inches in Norton, Massachusetts, 29.5 inches in Babylon, New York, and 27.9 inches in Carlstadt, New Jersey.
Impacts were severe: over 511,000 customers remained without power by morning on February 23, with Massachusetts reporting nearly 300,000 outages and New Jersey about 100,000. Travel bans were enacted in New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island; New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani banned nonessential vehicles. Major airports like Newark Liberty, JFK, and LaGuardia saw nearly 1,000 cancellations each, and NJ Transit halted all service.
“Potentially the worst storm in 30 years. Stay off the roads.”
— New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey described conditions as “as bad as I’ve seen it,” imposing travel restrictions and urging residents to stay home. Providence spokesman Josh Estrella called it “the most historic blizzard we’ve received.”
NOAA-20 satellite image of the storm on February 23, 2026.
Two fatalities occurred in Maryland from a tree falling on a car, alongside over 343 crashes there. Coastal flooding and erosion affected Maine and the Jersey Shore. Recovery efforts continued on February 24, with plowing resuming in affected areas amid ongoing outages and cleanup.
New York City recorded nearly 20 inches in Central Park—its ninth-highest total—while Long Island saw up to 31 inches. The event marked the first blizzard warnings for New York City and Boston since 2017 and 2022, respectively. For live updates, see NYT coverage, NBC News, and Washington Post.
Image from X post on Northeast blizzard with travel bans and canceled flights.
