Feb. 24, 2026 — Northeast U.S. A powerful nor’easter and bomb cyclone battered the region starting February 22, bringing historic blizzard conditions with up to 3 feet of snow in Rhode Island, 19-32 inches in New York City and surrounding areas, hurricane-force winds gusting to 84 mph, thundersnow, and power outages impacting over 600,000 customers across multiple states.
Blizzard warnings stretched over 600 miles from Maryland to New Hampshire, affecting 40-65 million people with near-zero visibility and extreme travel hazards, leading at least seven states including New Jersey, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts to declare states of emergency, according to NBC News live updates.
Rhode Island shattered records with 32.8 inches at T.F. Green International Airport, surpassing the 1978 blizzard’s 28.6 inches, while nearby areas saw 30.8 inches in North Stonington, Connecticut, and 29 inches in Staten Island and Islip, New York. New York City’s Central Park measured 19.7 inches, with up to 27 inches at Newark Liberty International Airport and 15 inches in Boston over 24 hours, Reuters reported.
Travel disruptions were severe, with road bans in New York City—the first in over a decade—Boston-area counties, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and others; NJ Transit and Rhode Island Public Transit suspended service. Over 5,000-10,000 flights were canceled at major hubs like JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Boston Logan, and Philadelphia, stranding millions indoors, per AP News.
Power outages peaked above 600,000, with nearly 300,000 in Massachusetts alone and over 135,000 in New Jersey; utilities like PSE&G restored tens of thousands but faced challenges from wind-damaged lines and snowdrifts. Schools closed region-wide, Broadway shows canceled, and National Guard deployed in Massachusetts and New York for recovery.
“You are putting people at risk, their safety at risk,” Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee warned of travel ban violators, while New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated, “The worst has passed” but urged caution amid refreezing roads (NBC News).
“New York remains in a state of emergency. The travel ban has ended today at noon, but a hazardous travel advisory remains in place through midnight tonight,” Mamdani added (Reuters).
No deaths were reported, though minor injuries occurred in accidents; coastal flooding hit New Jersey and Massachusetts. Meteorologists described ideal “Goldilocks” conditions for heavy, wet snow from clashing Arctic air and ocean warmth fueling the bomb cyclone’s rapid intensification (AP News).
Recovery efforts continued February 24, with schools resuming in New York City despite criticism over road conditions, sanitation crews clearing paths, and warnings of another storm later in the week.
