Blizzard Forecast for Boston Area on Monday

Heavy snow, powerful winds, and coastal flooding expected as major nor'easter hits the region

Feb. 20, 2026 at 10:24pm

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A major winter storm is expected to bring blizzard conditions to the Boston area on Monday, with forecasts calling for up to 16 inches of heavy, wet snow and wind gusts reaching 70 mph or higher along the coast. The storm is expected to bring the risk of power outages, roof collapses, and coastal flooding during high tide cycles.

Why it matters

This powerful nor'easter has the potential to cause significant disruption and damage across the Boston metro area, with the combination of heavy snow, high winds, and coastal flooding posing a serious threat to public safety and infrastructure. The storm highlights the region's vulnerability to extreme winter weather events, which are expected to become more frequent and intense due to climate change.

The details

The storm is expected to rapidly intensify off the North Carolina coast on Sunday before tracking north-northeast and passing near or over the 40N/70W benchmark, an ideal location for a classic New England nor'easter. The heaviest snow is forecast to overspread the area from south to north between 10 PM Sunday and 3 AM Monday, with snowfall rates potentially exceeding 1 inch per hour at times. Travel conditions are expected to be treacherous during the height of the storm on Monday morning.

  • The first flakes could arrive as early as just after sunset on Sunday.
  • The steadiest snow will overspread the area from south to north between 10 PM Sunday night and 3 AM Monday morning.
  • The storm peak will begin just before dawn on Monday and last through Monday afternoon, with a slow tapering overnight into early Tuesday.
  • Peak tides are expected around 3 PM Monday and again around 3-4 AM Tuesday.

The players

Terry Eliasen

The author of the original news article.

WBZ NEXT Weather Team

The weather forecasting team at WBZ-TV, CBS News Boston's local television station.

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What they’re saying

“This storm is coming out of the deep South and will be loaded with moisture. It will start to take shape on Sunday as it emerges off the North Carolina coastline.”

— Terry Eliasen (cbsnews.com)

“Stay with the WBZ NEXT Weather Team for frequent updates on WBZ-TV, CBS News Boston and WBZ.com.”

— WBZ NEXT Weather Team (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This powerful nor'easter highlights the need for the Boston region to be prepared for increasingly frequent and intense winter storms driven by climate change, with a focus on improving infrastructure resilience, emergency response planning, and public awareness to mitigate the impacts of such extreme weather events.