Feb. 24, 2026 — Northeast US A historic nor’easter, the February 2026 North American blizzard, began impacting the region on February 22, delivering up to 3 feet of snow in areas like Rhode Island, hurricane-force winds, thundersnow, and severe disruptions to travel, schools, and power supplies for over 40 million people under winter alerts across more than 600 miles of the East Coast.
Snow accumulations reached extreme levels, with 37.9 inches reported in Providence, Rhode Island, 19.7 inches at New York City’s Central Park, and over 2 feet in parts of New Jersey, Long Island, and around Boston. Boston recorded 16.9 inches, contributing to its first above-average snowfall season.
Sunrise over heavy snow from the blizzard on February 23, as captured by meteorologist Chris Yates.
New York City imposed a citywide travel ban—the first in over a decade—lasting until noon on February 23, while thousands of flights were canceled, exceeding 8,000 regionally, roads closed, and public transit halted. More than 250,000 to 400,000 customers experienced power outages.
Schools across New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts closed, including all New York City public schools on February 23—the first traditional snow day without remote learning since 2019. NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a local state of emergency.
In Massachusetts, Governor Maura Healey declared a state of emergency, activated the National Guard, and banned non-essential travel in southeastern Massachusetts. Over two dozen Massachusetts communities and areas in New York and New Jersey also issued local emergencies.
Embedded video of NYC Mayor declaring travel ban and snow day.
The storm dominated U.S. headlines on February 24 with ongoing live coverage, as cities dug out and assessed damages from the massive nor’easter.
