Nor’easter Halts Almost All NYC Travel
Snow is piling up rapidly and powerful winds are making the situation worse for tens of millions in the Northeast as Winter Storm Hernando enters its second day, making travel impossible across much of the heavily populated region.
Power outages continue to spike and entire cities are shut down today, and we have all the latest news and updates for you to track the storm as it intensifies off the East Coast. Stay with us all day and refresh this page frequently so you can see the latest information.
(MORE: What To Expect From Hernando | Maps Tracker Page)
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From senior meteorologist Jonathan Erdman:
The most prolific snowfalls outside higher elevations occur when the most intense snowbands stall over an area for several hours.
That’s essentially what we’ve seen along the Eastern Seaboard from Delaware to southern New England.
The animation below shows the radar at just after 4 a.m., then just after 10 a.m. ET. Notice the heavy bands of snow hardly moved along the East Coast.
(10:22 a.m. EST) Central Park In 15+ Inches Of Snow
From senior writer Chris DeWeese:
I don’t experience weather-related FOMO very often, but this photo of people walking through 15+ inches of fresh snow in New York City’s Central Park this morning is really making me wish I lived close by and could see the whole park like this.
(Ryan Murphy/Getty Images)
(09:56 a.m. EST) Eat Your Heart Out, Abbey Road
Pedestrians cross 42nd Street near Bryant Park during a snowstorm, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, in New York.
(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Admittedly, this photo does bear a striking resemblance to a Beatles album — only with about a foot of snow added.
(09:32 a.m. EST) New Jersey Travel Restriction Extended
Because conditions remain so poor statewide, a travel restriction that was originally set to expire at 7 a.m. has been extended until noon, the state’s office of emergency management announced on social media.
(09:11 a.m. EST) Watch Winter Storm Hernando On Satellite
From senior writer and Morning Brief newsletter editor Chris DeWeese:
Satellite footage captured by CIRA/CSU shows Winter Storm Hernando as it moved up the East Coast yesterday. This clip shows the storm’s progression from 5 a.m. to midnight EST.
(08:47 a.m. EST) 500,000 Homes, Businesses Now Without Power
From meteorologist Jennifer Gray:
We now have half a million customers in the dark in the Northeast due to the bomb cyclone, according to PowerOutage.us.
With so many people in the dark during extremely cold temperatures, it’s important to know how to conserve the heat inside your home. Here are a few tips and tricks you can use to keep warm while in the dark during freezing temperatures.
(08:36 a.m. EST) School Closings: NYC, Boston And Many More
Winter Storm Hernando has closed dozens of school districts in the Northeast, including some of the nation’s largest, like New York City and Boston.
For NYC, it’s their first full closing in years. Children will be out all over the city enjoying the snow day rather than being stuck inside for a digital learning day. For those of us who reveled in the glory of snow days before digital learning, we say enjoy it and stay safe, because it’s still a blizzard after all.
(08:18 a.m. EST) The Two-Plus-Foot Club Has Been Established
And so far, it’s rarified air. Only Freehold Township, New Jersey, has entered the club — they have 24.2 inches on the ground officially from Winter Storm Hernando. That’s in Monmouth County, where 9% of all customers have lost power this morning (about 28,000 homes and businesses), according to PowerOutage.us.
(08:12 a.m. EST) How Much More Snow?
From meteorologist Jennifer Gray:
Winter Storm Hernando will pull away from the coast later today, but there is still much more snow to come for cities in the Northeast and New England. Here’s a look at our latest snow forecast:
Keep in mind, this is additional snow on top of what has already fallen. Some areas across eastern Massachusetts could pick up an additional foot or more of snow.
(07:58 a.m. EST) NYC’s Heaviest Since The Pandemic
People walk along snow-covered streets as snow falls during a blizzard on Feb. 23, 2026, in the Flatbush neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough in New York City.
(Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
From senior meteorologist Jonathan Erdman:
We mentioned earlier that New York’s Central Park has picked up just over 15 inches of snow, so far.
That’s their heaviest snowstorm in just over five years, since a 17.4-inch snowstorm from Jan. 31 to Feb. 3, 2021.
Assuming they pick up another 2.4 inches of snow this morning, Hernando would be the city’s heaviest snowstorm since its all-time record 10 years ago, 27.5 inches, from a winter storm in late January 2016.
(07:37 a.m. EST) Skiing Fifth Avenue
A view of men skiing during a snowstorm after midnight as the city braces for a blizzard on Feb. 23, 2026, in New York City. (Photo by Craig T Fruchtman/Getty Images)
From senior writer and Morning Brief newsletter editor Chris DeWeese:
Patsy Cline had a hit with a song called “Walkin’ After Midnight” — but how about skiing after midnight? It happened last night on Manhattan’s iconic Fifth Avenue, close to Central Park, where a photographer captured these two late-night skiers traversing the sidewalks outside a Bergdorf and Goodman Store.
(07:25 a.m. EST) New Snow Totals For Major NYC Landmarks
As of just a few minutes ago, here are the updated snow totals from some areas in and around the Big Apple that you might recognize:
– Central Park: 15.1 inches
– LaGuardia Airport: 15.1 inches
– JFK International Airport: 15 inches
– Islip: 22.5 inches
– Newark (New Jersey): 18.3 inches
(07:12 a.m. EST) Impressive Snow Rates
From senior meteorologist Jonathan Erdman:
In major snowstorms, it’s not just how much snow falls, but how fast that happens.
We’re seeing snowfall at the rate of 1 inch per hour at New York’s LaGuardia Airport and 2 inches per hour at JFK International Airport right now.
Providence, Rhode Island, picked up almost 14 inches of snow in just six hours.
The National Weather Service office in Upton, Long Island, reported a snowfall rate of 3 inches per hour earlier this morning. Here’s what that looked like:
(06:58 a.m. EST) Thundersnow!!!
It happened again. Reporting live from Plymouth, Massachusetts, The Weather Channel storm tracker Jim Cantore was in the middle of describing the intense conditions when lightning flashed nearby. To watch Cantore’s passionate, excited response, click here.
And if you’ve never experienced near-blizzard conditions, this video is worth a watch:
(06:50 a.m. EST) Tree Damage In King Of Prussia, Pennsylvania
We’re starting to see some ground truth of the damage the winter storm is causing with its heavy, wet snow and strong winds. Check out these pictures of tree damage in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, which is located northwest of Philadelphia:
(06:41 a.m. EST) Top Wind Gusts This Morning
From meteorologists Jonathan Erdman and Jennifer Gray:
As Winter Storm Hernando continues up the coast, it’s unleashing dangerous, gusty winds. Here are the top wind speeds thus far:
– Wellfleet, Massachusetts: 79 mph
– N. Kingston, Rhode Island: 73 mph
– Nantucket, Massachusetts: 70 mph
(06:27 a.m. EST) Here Comes The Peak Of The Storm
Winter Storm Hernando is seen nearing peak intensity on the morning of Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. (NOAA)
From senior meteorologist Jonathan Erdman:
Having already reached bomb cyclone status, Winter Storm Hernando is nearing its peak intensity. That means the storm is nearing its lowest central pressure off the Northeast seaboard.
While its central pressure is similar to that of a Category 2 hurricane, the storm is cold-core rather than warm-core.
(06:06 a.m. EST) Flight Cancellations Surge Past 10,000
According to FlightAware data, there have been more than 10,000 flights canceled from yesterday through tomorrow in the U.S., virtually all of them in the path of Winter Storm Hernando. That includes more than 5,300 flights today alone.
Another 1,300 flights have already been canceled for tomorrow, so if you have flight plans, it’s best to check (frequently) with your airline, especially if you’ll be flying into or out of the Northeast.
(05:55 a.m. EST) We’re Dealing With ‘Heart-Attack Snow’
From digital meteorologist Caitlin Kaiser:
With temperatures hovering around or just below freezing, this relatively “warmer” air can hold a lot more moisture. This means the snow that is falling is heavier and wetter, which earns its nickname “heart-attack snow” for a reason.
The heavier the snow, the more strain it puts on your cardiovascular system when you’re trying to shovel. So, you’ll want to take extra care before heading out.
Read more on heart-attack snow and how to stay safe while shoveling.
(05:17 a.m. EST) It’s Officially A Bomb Cyclone
With a drop in central pressure of about 40 millibars in 12 hours, this nor’easter has gone above and beyond to meet the criteria of a bomb cyclone. In fact, it achieved the requirement in about nine hours.
To read more about what criteria must be met for a storm to “bomb out,” click here.
(05:00 a.m. EST) Scenes From A Snow-Dusted Times Square
People take photos with the snow in Times Square on Feb. 22, 2026, in New York, New York. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)
A snowman is seen in Times Square on Feb. 22, 2026, in New York, New York.
(Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)
Even fierce snowstorms can be peaceful sometimes. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
Workers shovel snow in the early-morning hours of Feb. 23, 2026, in Times Square. (Photo by Craig T Fruchtman/Getty Images)
A view of Times Square covered in snow after midnight as the city braces for a blizzard, Feb. 23, 2026, in New York City.
(Photo by Craig T Fruchtman/Getty Images)
(04:39 a.m. EST) Power Outages Spike To More Than 250,000
As expected with a windy nor’easter that’s dumping heavy snow, power outages are rising rapidly. According to PowerOutage.us, these states have the lion’s share of the quarter-million homes and businesses currently in the dark amif frigid conditions:
– New Jersey: 103,000 customers
– Delaware: 68,000
– Maryland: 33,000
(04:15 a.m. EST) Top Snow Totals To Start The Morning
A woman crosses a street near Manhattan’s Grand Central during a snowfall in New York City on Feb. 22, 2026.
(Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
Winter Storm Hernando really raged overnight. Here are the highest snow totals from this storm, which continues to rapidly escalate, so far:
– Freehold, New Jersey: 17.9 inches
– Mount Holly, New Jersey: 16.2 inches
– South Jersey Regional Airport: 15.3 inches
To see Sunday’s live coverage as it played out, read the full recap here.