Feb. 24, 2026 — Northeast United States A powerful blizzard, known as the February 2026 North American blizzard or Winter Storm Hernando, struck from New Jersey to New England starting February 22, dumping more than 2 feet of snow in many areas—reaching 37.9 inches near Providence, Rhode Island—and wind gusts up to 98 mph at Wellfleet, Massachusetts, leading to over 600,000 power outages, more than 20,000 flight cancellations, and travel bans in cities including New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia.
The storm prompted states of emergency in seven states and blizzard warnings across the Northeast, the first such alerts for New York City since 2017. New York City issued its first travel ban in over a decade, while New Jersey enforced a statewide ban. Schools closed region-wide, and Amtrak canceled over 30 trains.
Snow totals shattered records, including 31.8 inches in Norton, Massachusetts, and 31 inches in Islip, New York. Central Park in NYC measured 19 inches. Coastal flooding caused beach erosion up to 20 feet along the Jersey Shore.
“Potentially the worst storm in 30 years. Stay off the roads.”
— New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, per Wikipedia entry
Power outages peaked above 600,000 customers, with over 275,000 in Massachusetts alone by late February 23, according to CBS News Boston live updates. Eversource spokesperson Olessia Stepanova warned of a “long duration event,” urging patience for restorations potentially lasting 3 to 5 days in hardest-hit areas like Cape Cod and Bristol County.
NOAA satellite image showing the extratropical cyclone near peak intensity on February 23, 2026. (Wikipedia)
Wind gusts exceeded 80 mph on Nantucket and Cape Cod, contributing to blizzard conditions with visibility under a quarter-mile. Two fatalities occurred in Maryland from a tree falling on a car.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem warned on X of “1–2 feet of snow, strong winds up to ~70 mph, widespread travel disruptions and flight cancellations.”
FEET, NOT INCHES
The Northeast is in a deadlock as a massive winter storm hammers the region. We aren’t just talking inches—reports are coming in of up to TWO FEET of snow in many areas.
The weight of the snow is triggering widespread power outages, and a mandatory travel ban until noon EST. pic.twitter.com/VIDEO
— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) February 23, 2026
Meteorologist Laurel Blanchard described it as a “MONSTER storm” with gusts to 90 mph and up to 24 inches of snow possible.
