Feb. 24, 2026 — Northeast U.S. — Winter Storm Hernando, a powerful bomb cyclone, pummeled the region from Maryland to Maine from February 22 to 24, delivering up to 3 feet of snow, affecting over 50 million people, and shattering snowfall records.
The storm brought whiteout blizzard conditions with winds gusting over 70 mph, including 37.9 inches in Providence, Rhode Island—a new all-time record—and 19.7 inches at New York City’s Central Park. Thundersnow was reported in areas like Lower Manhattan.
Travel ground to a halt with over 10,000 flights canceled at airports including JFK, LGA, EWR, and BOS. New York City enacted its first travel ban in over a decade, while New Jersey imposed a statewide ban and other states restricted major roadways. Transit systems shut down and over 30 Amtrak trains were canceled.
More than 600,000 customers suffered power outages, peaking in Massachusetts (300,000+), New Jersey (130,000+), and Delaware. Restoration efforts continued amid heavy, wet snow.
Governors in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and Rhode Island declared states of emergency. New York activated 100 National Guard members, Massachusetts deployed 200 troops, and schools closed region-wide, with many switching to remote learning. Broadway shows were canceled.
THE NORTHEAST JUST TOOK A DIRECT HIT.
A monster blizzard rapidly intensified into a bomb cyclone — unleashing heavy snow bands, severe winds, and widespread power outages.
Whiteout conditions.
Life-threatening wind chills.
Roads vanishing in minutes.This system didn’t move in quietly.
It intensified fast.
👇 Are you in the impact zone? Drop your state and conditions.
#MrMBB333 #BlizzardWarning #ExtremeWeather #northeast pic.twitter.com/abc123
— Michael Bradbury (@MrMBB333) February 23, 2026
Meteorologists attributed the storm’s ferocity to ideal “Goldilocks conditions” for heavy snow. National Weather Service forecaster Owen Shieh said:
The storm hit the ‘Goldilocks situation’ of just the right temperature for wet, heavy snow—any warmer and its precipitation wouldn’t have fallen as snow. Any colder and there wouldn’t have been as much moisture in the air to feed that snowfall.
Former NOAA scientist Ryan Maue described it as “a hurricane with snow.”
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill urged: > Stay off the roads.
The blizzard drew comparisons to historic storms like 1978 and 1996, with first blizzard warnings in years for cities like New York and Boston. Coastal flooding caused beach erosion along the Jersey Shore and Maine.
