Feb. 24, 2026 — Northeast United States A historic blizzard, dubbed the Blizzard of 2026 or Winter Storm Hernando, struck from February 22-23, delivering 2-3 feet of snow across New England and Mid-Atlantic states, wind gusts up to 98 mph at Wellfleet, Massachusetts, over 600,000 power outages, more than 8,000 flight cancellations, and states of emergency in seven states including New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts.
The storm, described as a classic bomb cyclone, broke snowfall records with 37.9 inches at Rhode Island’s T.F. Green International Airport, 41 inches in Fall River, Massachusetts, and over 3 feet in Warwick, Rhode Island. New York City’s Central Park recorded 19.7 inches, while southeastern Massachusetts locations like New Bedford saw 37 inches. Winds reached 83 mph on Nantucket, contributing to widespread tree damage and coastal flooding.
Impacts included travel bans—New York City’s first in over a decade—for commercial vehicles statewide and restrictions in New Jersey and Delaware. More than 5,600 flights were canceled on February 23, primarily at New York and Boston airports, with Amtrak canceling over 30 trains. Power outages peaked above 600,000, affecting over 275,000 in Massachusetts alone, where Eversource anticipated 3-5 days for restoration in hard-hit areas like Cape Cod.
“Potentially the worst storm in 30 years. Stay off the roads.”
— New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill
National Weather Service meteorologist Owen Shieh explained the storm’s intensity stemmed from a “Goldilocks situation” of temperatures ideal for heavy, wet snow. Eversource spokesperson Olessa Stepanova noted crews faced challenges due to safety and access issues.
Snowfall totals from the Blizzard of 2026 across the Northeast, posted by Capital Weather Gang on X.
Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee warned of blizzard complications, while Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey deployed 350 National Guard members. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani described conditions as hazardous due to refreezing snow. Two fatalities occurred in Maryland from a falling tree.
As of February 24, cleanup continued amid ongoing outages and road closures, marking the worst Northeast blizzard since 1996.
BIG APPLE BLIZZARD: New York City is buried under more than 15 inches of snow as a brutal winter blast batters the Northeast.pic.twitter.com/abc123
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 23, 2026
