Blizzard Dumps Up to 3 Feet of Snow Across Northeast

Record-breaking storm forces travel bans, school closures, and widespread power outages

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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A powerful blizzard pummeled the Northeast on Monday, dumping up to 3 feet of snow in some areas and leaving over 40 million people under weather warnings. The storm caused widespread school closures, thousands of flight cancellations, and power outages affecting over 660,000 customers. Several states, including New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, declared states of emergency and imposed travel restrictions.

Why it matters

This blizzard is one of the worst winter storms to hit the Northeast in decades, with snowfall totals that could rank among the top 10 worst storms in New York City's 150-year history. The extreme weather conditions have disrupted daily life across the region, highlighting the need for emergency preparedness and resilient infrastructure to withstand the impacts of severe winter storms.

The details

The National Weather Service reported snowfall totals of up to 3 feet in parts of New Jersey, Rhode Island, and New York's Long Island. New York City saw between 16 and 19 inches of snow, with more expected. The heavy snow and hurricane-force winds caused widespread power outages, school closures, and the cancellation of over 6,000 flights nationwide. State and local governments responded by declaring emergencies, imposing travel bans, and reducing speed limits on major highways.

  • The blizzard began on Monday, February 24, 2026.
  • As of early Monday evening, over 660,000 customers were without power in the Northeast.
  • New York City's travel ban was lifted at noon on Monday, but a hazardous travel advisory remained in effect until midnight.
  • All New York City public schools will resume in-person learning on Tuesday, February 25, 2026.
  • Rhode Island's state of emergency and travel ban remain in effect, with the situation to be reassessed on Tuesday morning.

The players

Kathy Hochul

The governor of New York, who warned that the storm could rank among New York City's top 10 worst storms in 150 years.

Dan McKee

The governor of Rhode Island, who said the state of emergency and travel ban remain in effect to allow plow crews to continue clearing roads overnight.

Maura Healey

The governor of Massachusetts, who issued a nonessential travel ban for several counties and reduced the speed limit on the Massachusetts Turnpike.

Zohran Mamdani

The mayor of New York City, who said the city's travel ban was lifted at noon but urged caution and slow travel, and announced that all public schools will resume in-person learning on Tuesday.

Ned Lamont

The governor of Connecticut, who banned commercial vehicles from traveling on all limited-access highways until further notice.

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What they’re saying

“These are dangerous conditions. If you must leave your home, please rely on public transit.”

— Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City (Yahoo News)

“Whiteout conditions are making travel extremely dangerous. If you get stuck, help will have a hard time reaching you.”

— Maura Healey, Governor of Massachusetts (Yahoo News)

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 historic blizzard highlights the need for robust emergency preparedness and resilient infrastructure to withstand the impacts of severe winter storms, which are expected to become more frequent and intense due to climate change. The coordinated response by state and local governments to protect public safety during the storm serves as a model for future extreme weather events.