Blizzard Cleanup Underway Across Northeast

Powerful winter storm drops over a foot of snow in eight states, leaving thousands without power and flights grounded

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

A powerful winter storm that battered the Northeast over the weekend has started to taper off, but the impact is expected to linger for days. More than 11,000 flights have been grounded through Tuesday, and over 500,000 homes and businesses were without power as of Monday evening. Drivers in some parts of Massachusetts have been ordered to stay off the roads as snowplow crews struggle to clear the record-breaking snowfall, with Providence, Rhode Island breaking its single-storm record with over 32 inches.

Why it matters

The blizzard has caused widespread disruption across the Northeast, with significant impacts on transportation, power, and daily life for residents. The cleanup efforts will be extensive and could take days or even weeks in some areas to fully restore normalcy.

The details

The winter storm dropped over a foot of snow in eight states, with Manhattan's Central Park recording about 20 inches and Islip on Long Island receiving more than 22 inches. Providence, Rhode Island broke its previous single-storm record of 28.6 inches set during the Blizzard of 1978, with 32.8 inches recorded this time. Thousands of flights have been grounded, and over 500,000 homes and businesses lost power due to the heavy snow and high winds.

  • The winter storm started on Sunday and continued through Monday evening.
  • Providence, Rhode Island broke its previous single-storm record of 28.6 inches set during the Blizzard of 1978, with 32.8 inches recorded this time.
  • As of Monday evening, over 500,000 homes and businesses were without power.

The players

Northeast

The region of the United States affected by the powerful winter storm.

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What’s next

Cleanup efforts are expected to continue for days or even weeks in some areas as crews work to restore power, clear roads, and help residents recover from the impacts of the blizzard.

The takeaway

The Northeast has been hit hard by this powerful winter storm, with record-breaking snowfall, widespread power outages, and significant disruptions to transportation and daily life. The cleanup efforts will be extensive, and it may take some time for the region to fully recover from the impacts of the blizzard.