Feb. 23, 2026 — Northeastern United States — Winter Storm Hernando, a powerful bomb cyclone nor’easter also known as the February 2026 North American blizzard, battered the region from New Jersey to Massachusetts on Monday, dumping up to 36 inches of snow in Providence, Rhode Island, hurricane-force wind gusts reaching 98 mph, over 570,000 power outages primarily in New Jersey and Massachusetts, and more than 9,900 flight cancellations nationwide.
The storm affected tens of millions across the Northeast megalopolis, prompting states of emergency in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. New York City imposed a citywide travel ban starting Sunday evening, while Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey described conditions as “life-threatening” with near-zero visibility and issued a travel ban on the Massachusetts Turnpike with a 40 mph speed limit.
Snow accumulations varied widely, with Providence recording 32.8 inches, Newark Liberty International Airport at 18.3 inches, New York City’s Central Park at 19.7 inches and Boston Logan at 14.4 inches. Wind gusts hit 79 mph in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, exacerbating blizzard conditions and whiteouts from blowing snow.
Travel ground to a halt, with over 8,000 flight disruptions on Monday alone, including nearly 1,000 cancellations at New York-area airports and 958 at Boston Logan. Amtrak canceled dozens of trains between New York and Boston. Road bans and closures were widespread due to deep snow and drifts.
“The heaviest snow from Winter Storm Hernando has finished, but winds across the Northeast will continue to blast overnight, which can cause white-out conditions from drifting snow,” Weather.com meteorologist Sara Tonks said.
Power outages peaked above 600,000, concentrated in New Jersey (over 250,000) and Massachusetts (over 282,000), leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity amid heavy, wet “heart-attack snow.”
At least two fatalities were reported in Maryland from a tree falling on a car. Coastal flooding threatened shorelines during high tides.
The storm formed February 20 and intensified rapidly, undergoing bombogenesis. Blizzard warnings expired in New York City, but cleanup and icy roads will challenge recovery for days, with light snow possible later in the week.
