February 24, 2026 — Northeast United States A historic bomb cyclone nor’easter that struck since February 22 has dumped 2 to 3 feet of heavy, wet snow across New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and surrounding areas, paralyzing the region with travel bans—including New York City’s first in over a decade—over 10,000 flight cancellations, power outages impacting 500,000 to 700,000 customers, and states of emergency affecting tens of millions.
Hurricane-force winds reaching 84 mph, thundersnow and whiteout conditions have caused at least two reported deaths, widespread school closures and major transit shutdowns, with recovery efforts ongoing as the storm exits the region.
The storm broke snowfall records, including 37.9 inches in Providence, Rhode Island, and up to 3 feet or more in parts of New England, fueled by “perfect” conditions for a monster blizzard according to AP News analysis. CNN live updates note travel bans beginning to ease amid ongoing cleanup, while The New York Times reports interactive maps showing power outages exceeding 500,000 customers.
Impacts extended to major cities, with Washington Post coverage detailing up to 3 feet of snow in New York City and Boston areas, and USA Today tracking outages and blizzard conditions.
Verified social media posts captured the scene, including ABC News video from meteorologist Ginger Zee showing a deserted West Side Highway in New York City (31,000+ views), and additional ABC posts on 40 million people under warnings as the bomb cyclone buried the region. WeatherNation warned of 2 feet of snow, outages and bans in a widely viewed video.
