Feb. 23, 2026 — A historic bomb cyclone nor’easter dubbed Winter Storm Hernando battered the Northeast United States from Maryland to New Hampshire, dumping up to 36 inches of snow, hurricane-force wind gusts reaching 98 mph, and causing over 650,000 power outages and more than 9,900 flight cancellations.
The storm, which formed on February 20, underwent explosive cyclogenesis with a 40-millibar pressure drop, producing blizzard conditions along the I-95 corridor including New York City and Boston. Record snowfall shattered marks in Providence, Rhode Island, with 32.8 inches at T.F. Green Airport, while New York City’s Central Park recorded 19.7 inches and LaGuardia Airport 22.2 inches, according to live updates.
Governors in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Maryland declared states of emergency, activating National Guard units and imposing travel bans. New York City lifted its citywide travel ban after plowing every street once, but roads remained slick. Schools closed across the region, with NYC marking its first full snow day since before the pandemic.
Power outages affected over 290,000 in Massachusetts alone, with widespread tree damage and downed lines. Two deaths occurred in Maryland when a tree fell on a vehicle. Flight disruptions rippled nationwide, with over 5,300 cancellations on February 23.
“The blizzard warnings have expired for New York City, but the area will need some time to dig out of the snowfall. Travel will be difficult over the next few days as partial snowmelt and refreezing will lead to icy roads.”
— Rob Shackelford, Weather Channel digital meteorologist
The storm’s intensity stemmed from ideal “Goldilocks conditions“—the right temperatures for heavy, wet snow fed by ocean moisture, as explained by National Weather Service meteorologist Owen Shieh.
WINTER STORM #Hernando is intensifying across the Northeast! Heavy snow and blizzard conditions are unfolding with: 16–24”+ snowfall likely in parts of the I-95 corridor. Wind gusts 45–70 mph… Stay safe.
— Charles Peek (@CharlesPeekWX) February 22, 2026
Blizzard warnings expired in New York City but persisted in Boston until Tuesday morning. Additional light snow was possible Tuesday, with meteorologists warning of “heart-attack snow” risks from shoveling heavy accumulations.
