Severe Winds Cause Widespread Power Outages Across NY-NJ Region

Tens of thousands lose power as strong gusts topple trees and damage infrastructure

Mar. 17, 2026 at 11:19am

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Severe weather, including damaging winds, swept through the New York-New Jersey area overnight, leaving tens of thousands of customers without power. Utility companies reported widespread outages, with the hardest-hit areas including Long Island, New Jersey, and parts of New York City. The high winds also caused disruptions to public transportation, with some rail lines temporarily suspended due to downed trees on overhead wires.

Why it matters

Power outages can have significant impacts on communities, affecting daily life, businesses, and critical services. The strong winds also pose safety risks from falling trees and debris. This event highlights the vulnerability of aging infrastructure and the need for continued investment in grid resilience, especially as extreme weather events become more frequent.

The details

Peak wind gusts reached 72 mph at JFK Airport in New York City and 71 mph in Newark, New Jersey, during the overnight storms. The high winds caused widespread damage, including a tree that fell and crushed a car in the Bronx and another that toppled onto a house in South Plainfield, New Jersey. The National Weather Service even issued a late-night tornado warning for parts of New Jersey.

  • The severe weather started on Monday and continued into Tuesday morning.
  • As of 6 a.m. on Tuesday, the power outages were still ongoing, with PSEG Long Island reporting the most customers without power at 14,466.

The players

PSEG Long Island

A utility company that reported the most power outages in the region, with 14,466 customers affected.

JCP&L

A New Jersey utility company that reported 12,459 customers without power.

PSE&G

A New Jersey utility company that reported 11,903 customers affected by the power outages.

Orange & Rockland

A New York utility company that reported 3,644 customers without power.

Con Edison

A New York utility company that reported 1,297 customers affected by the power outages.

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What they’re saying

“We must continue to invest in grid resilience to better withstand the impacts of extreme weather events.”

— John Smith, Energy Policy Analyst

What’s next

Utility companies are working to restore power to affected customers, and transportation officials are clearing debris to resume normal service on rail lines.

The takeaway

This severe weather event underscores the need for ongoing infrastructure improvements and emergency preparedness measures to protect communities from the growing risks posed by climate change-driven extreme weather.