Feb. 23, 2026 — Northeast United States — Winter Storm Hernando, a bomb cyclone nor’easter named by The Weather Channel, pounded the region from the Mid-Atlantic to New England with up to 36 inches of snow, wind gusts nearing 100 mph, over 600,000 power outages, more than 8,000 flight cancellations, and travel bans in New York City, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.
The storm broke multiple snowfall records, including Providence, Rhode Island’s all-time two-day total of 36 inches and single-day mark of 30.4 inches at T.F. Green Airport, surpassing previous benchmarks from 1978 and 1996, according to the Wikipedia entry on the event. Other highs included 33.5 inches in East Providence and North Kingstown, Rhode Island; 29.5 inches in Babylon, New York; 27.9 inches in Carlstadt, New Jersey; and 27.1 inches in Newark, New Jersey, which set a new all-time record there.
New York City saw 15 to 19 inches at Central Park, Philadelphia over 13 inches, and Boston around 15 inches, with heavy, wet “heart-attack snow” falling at rates up to 3 inches per hour amid thundersnow reports. Winds gusted to 98 mph in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, creating whiteout conditions and coastal flooding along the Jersey Shore.
“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.”
— Sara Tonks, Weather.com live blog
Impacts extended to at least two fatalities in Maryland from a tree falling on a car, thousands of school closures, and emergency declarations by governors in seven states. Power outages peaked above 650,000, hardest in Massachusetts (over 282,000) and New Jersey (~250,000). NBC News and New York Times provided live coverage of cancellations and bans.
Snow blankets parts of the East Coast during Winter Storm Hernando, as reported on X. (Realtor.com/@realtordotcom)
Meteorologists described the storm’s rapid intensification—a 39-40 millibar pressure drop qualifying as bombogenesis—as ideal for heavy snow. AP News quoted National Weather Service forecaster Owen Shieh on its “Goldilocks situation” of temperatures perfect for moisture-laden snow, while former NWS director Louis Uccellini called it a “classic” nor’easter.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill warned it could be the worst storm in 30 years since 1996. Blizzard warnings, rare in recent years, covered 40 million people from Philadelphia to Boston, per social media updates from FOX Weather and AccuWeather.
Dawn breaks over Winter Storm #Hernando swirling with intent just off the coast of NE USA, bringing Nor'Easter blizzard conditions from Maryland to Maine. Thousands of flights grounded, people urged to stay indoors and not travel.
— Nick's Weather Eye (@NickJF75) February 23, 2026
