A life-threatening nor’easter and bomb cyclone has brought a blizzard to NYC, NJ and along the East Coast, causing widespread PSE&G outages, a NYC state of emergency, and a NYC travel ban, with snowfall expected to last through today, Monday, Feb. 23. But what, exactly, is the definition of a blizzard, what’s a blizzard vs snow storm, and is this snowstorm considered a “bomb cyclone blizzard”?

According to the National Weather Service, a blizzard doesn’t mean how many inches of snow NYC got, or NYC’s snowfall totals; rather, to define a blizzard warning in NYC, it must constitute high winds and whiteout conditions. The “blizzard of 2026” — likened to blizzard of 96 in NJ — has exploded into a powerful bomb cyclone (bombogenesis), unfurling the “first blizzard for much of the mid-Atlantic” in four years, according to AccuWeather forecasters.

As the NYC blizzard continues to bear down across Manhattan, Central Park, Nassau and Suffolk counties and across Long Island, here’s what to know about the fiercest of winter’s fury and how a blizzard is defined.

See New York City buried by the Blizzard of 2026

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A person walks in the falling snow in the Manhattan borough of New York City on Feb. 23, 2026.

What is a blizzard?

According to the National Weather Service, a blizzard doesn’t always mean “a lot of snow,” or heavy snowfall totals, although it can. NOAA and AccuWeather forecasters have called this storm a major nor’easter and “blockbuster blizzard,” meeting a certain “blizzard definition” and criteria: A snowstorm with winds regularly above 35 mph and “considerable falling” or blowing snow for at least three hours.

The combination of winds and blowing snow results in “whiteout conditions,” NOAA‘s NWS said.

Did a blizzard hit NYC?

Yes, the National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning in NYC, with blizzard conditions expected in NYC and the tri-state area through 6 p.m. ET today, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. NOAA forecasters in New York’s NWS New York, NY and New Jersey’s NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly office said it has been several years since the last blizzard in NJ and NYC.

The “blockbuster blizzard,” as defined by AccuWeather, has caused whiteout conditions across NYC and NJ unleashed by a nor’easter and bomb cyclone overnight. Under NOAA’s NWS blizzard criteria, NYC has seen snowfall rates reach 2 to 3 inches per hour, with wind gusts reaching 55 mph across Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island, Brooklyn, Suffolk and Nassau counties.

What is a bomb cyclone blizzard? Bomb cyclone definition

An “East Coast blizzard, bomb cyclone, nor’easter” has created a frenzy on social media with The Weather Channel combining the phrases, and NYC residents curious: Are we getting a “bomb cyclone blizzard” in NYC right now?

Technically, a bomb cyclone, blizzard and nor’easter are all occurring in NYC, but all three are distinct weather definitions, although a bomb cyclone is the rapid strengthening of a storm — sending the barometric pressure plunging — producing widespread heavy snowfall, rapid snowfall rates and high winds.

Did NYC get a bomb cyclone blizzard?

According to the National Weather Service, the significant winter storm qualifies as a nor’easter and bomb cyclone with blizzard conditions across NYC, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the entire tri-state area.

Bomb cyclone, blizzard, snow storm and nor’easter are distinct weather terms, and while snow storm is a broad term for any snow, sleet, freezing rain or wintry mix, the others must meet certain criteria to be defined as such.

NOAA’s NWS and AccuWeather forecasters say this snowstorm has produced a nor’easter, bomb cyclone, blizzard, dropping over a foot of snow, driven by high winds, whiteout conditions, and blowing snow, causing dangerous travel conditions and power outages.

Blizzard of ’26 begins in New Jersey

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A man walks along President Street, Sunday morning, February 22, 2026, as snow falls in Passaic.

Difference between a snow storm and blizzard?

Curious about the difference between blizzard vs snowstorm as a major nor’easter hits NYC?

A snowstorm is defined by the National Weather Service as a general weather term for a weather system that brings snow, sleet, freezing rain or a mix of wintry precipitation to any part of the US.

A blizzard can be life-threatening, and is defined by certain criteria (high winds, low visibility). Blizzards can create hazardous travel and severe, life-threatening winds.

Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Did blizzard, bomb cyclone hit NYC? See NWS, AccuWeather snow forecast