Huge snowstorm in the Northeast forces millions to stay home, disrupts
flights and closes schools
[February 24, 2026]
By ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE, CLAIRE RUSH, JULIE WALKER and ADAM
GELLER
NEW YORK (AP) — A massive snowstorm pummeled the northeastern United
States from Maryland to Maine on Monday, forcing millions of people to
stay home amid strong wind and blizzard warnings, transportation
shutdowns, and school and business closures.
Meteorologists said the storm is the strongest in a decade, dumping more
than 2 feet (60 centimeters) of snow in parts of the metropolitan
Northeast, shattering accumulation records in places, immobilizing
transit and even leading the United Nations to postpone a Security
Council meeting. Officials declared emergencies, schools closed,
including in New York City, which had its first “old-school” snow day in
six years, and people grappled with power failures.
Even as the snow moved northward and tapered off in other areas, the
National Weather Service said it is tracking another storm that could
bring more snow to the region later this week.
The weather service referred to Monday's storm as a “classic bomb
cyclone/nor’easter off the Northeast coast.” A bomb cyclone happens when
a storm's pressure falls by a certain amount within a 24-hour period,
occurring mainly in the fall and winter when frigid Arctic air can reach
the south and clash with warmer temperatures.
While it was paralyzing and potentially dangerous for millions along the
Eastern Seaboard, meteorologists found themselves rhapsodizing over the
combination of power and beauty.
The storm hit the “Goldilocks situation” of just the right temperature
for wet, heavy snow: Any warmer and its precipitation wouldn’t have
fallen as snow, any colder and there wouldn’t have been as much moisture
in the air to feed that snowfall, said Owen Shieh, warning coordination
meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction
Center in Maryland.
People begin digging out even as snowfall continues
In Lower Manhattan, snow shovelers appeared to outnumber commuting
office workers, and pedestrians walked freely in streets normally
blocked by morning traffic.
“It’s very quiet, except for the howling winds,” said Luis Valez, a
concierge at a residential tower just off Wall Street, as he cleared the
sidewalk. “A couple of residents have gone out to get their essentials.
Other than that, there’s nothing.”
Matthew Wojtkowiak, 57, an attorney, was also shoveling in his Brooklyn
neighborhood.
“I’m from the Midwest, so this is in the zone,” he said. “Not too bad,
not too easy, either.”
Schools were closed, and he said he hoped people would get out and enjoy
the snow.
“We have sleds at the ready,” he said.
Karen Smith and Adele Bawden are tourists visiting New York from the
United Kingdom.
“We’ve been dancing in Times Square this morning in the middle of the
road in rush hour,” Bawden said. "We’ve just been dancing and not
believing we could do it.”
Ingrid Devita said she liked to patrol the Lower East Side on skis,
checking on people who might need help.
“I find people fall in the snow and they can’t get up,” she said.
Central Park in New York City recorded 19 inches (48 centimeters) of
snow. Warwick, Rhode Island, exceeded 3 feet (91 centimeters), topping
the nation so far. The highest wind gust of 83 mph (133 kph) was
recorded in Nantucket, with hurricane-force gusts seen all over Cape
Cod.
In Connecticut, crews at the Mystic Seaport Museum prepared to clear
snow from a fleet of historic ships, including the 113-foot-long Charles
W. Morgan, a wooden whaling ship from the 19th century American merchant
fleet.
Shannon McKenzie, vice president of watercraft operations and
preservation, said shipyard staff will clear the snow by hand using
rubber or plastic shovels because machinery or metal shovels could
damage the boats.
Storm fuels power outages and disrupts flights
New York, Philadelphia and other cities, as well as several states,
declared emergencies.
[to top of second column]
|
Hannah and Astrid Grimskog play in Times Square during a snow storm,
Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
More than 5,600 flights in and out of the United States were
canceled Monday, and a further 2,000 flights scheduled for Tuesday
were grounded, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.
Most of the cancelations involved airports in New York, New Jersey
and Boston. Almost 2,500 flights were delayed.
Rhode Island’s T.F. Green International Airport announced Monday
that it was temporarily ending all airport operations. The Weather
Service reported that the facility got nearly 38 inches (96.5
centimeters) of snow, breaking a record set in 1978.
Public transit ground to a halt in some areas, while DoorDash
suspended deliveries in New York City overnight into Monday.
Meteorologists said strong winds and heavy, wet snow are a recipe
for damaged trees and prolonged power outages.
More than 450,000 utility customers nationwide remained in darkness
Monday evening, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages
nationwide.
Snow slows commuter transport and forces snow days
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said Monday evening that
subway lines are mostly operational after earlier delays, with the
exception of the hard-hit borough of Staten Island, where rail
service remained suspended. Delays would likely continue on lines
that run outdoors.
Commuter rail service to suburbs to the north and east of the city
were expected to resume limited service ahead of the Tuesday morning
commute, the MTA said. Bus commuters should also expect long wait
times.
Outreach workers meanwhile tried to coax homeless New Yorkers into
shelters and warming centers.
Various landmarks and cultural institutions were closed Monday,
including New York’s Museum of Modern Art and the Arlington National
Cemetery in Washington, D.C. Broadway shows were canceled Sunday
evening.
New York City and Boston canceled public school classes for Monday,
while Philadelphia switched to online learning. Districts on Long
Island and elsewhere in the New York suburbs said they would cancel
school for a second day on Tuesday.
But New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said class would be back in
person.
Officials in one of the city's Republican strongholds criticized the
Democratic mayor's move. Staten Island Borough President Vito
Fossella said schools should remain closed because roads are
impassable and sidewalks are blocked. The teacher’s union, the
United Federation of Teachers, advised its members to be cautious
and put their safety first when deciding whether to report to work.
Spokespersons for Mamdani didn’t respond to an email seeking comment
but his schools chief defended the decision on social media.
Chancellor Kamar Samuels said the district “couldn’t be 100%
certain” that every student would have access to the devices they
needed for remote learning, despite school officials’ “best efforts”
to distribute them ahead of the storm.
“We are confident in our decision to reopen,” he wrote on X. “Our
schools and city are ready to welcome students and staff back
tomorrow.”
___
Izaguirre reported from Albany, New York, and Rush reported from
Portland, Oregon. Associated Press writers Mike Catalini in
Morrisville, Pennsylvania; Mark Kennedy and Mike Sisak in New York;
Darlene Superville in Washington; Susan Haigh in Hartford,
Connecticut; Christopher Weber in Los Angeles; and Philip Marcelo in
Buenos Aires, Argentina contributed.
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
