Massive winter storm Hernando hit the East Coast of the United States on Monday (local time), bringing record snowfall that disrupted normal life for millions of people and left them stranded in their homes and without power.
A BBC report, citing the National Weather Service, said parts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts saw nearly 37 inches of snow, including more than 19 inches in New York’s Central Park.
A weather warning was extended from North Carolina to northern Maine and even extended into parts of eastern Canada. The report also added that more than 600,000 properties on the US East Coast suffered power outages. Because of the winter storm, the Boston Globe, a major US daily, said it would not go to print, the first time in its 153-year history.
Key updates to Storm Hernando
1. Reports indicate that travel across the region has been severely affected, with some states and cities imposing travel bans during the worst of the storm. More than 11,000 flights had been suspended by Tuesday (local time), according to a Bloomberg report. The impact will likely last for several days.
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2. In Massachusetts, drivers were advised to stay off the roads in some parts as snowplow crews scrambled to catch up after whiteout conditions gripped the state’s southern coast. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said, “We have reports of abandoned and stranded cars on the road and tow trucks are having trouble getting to them,” and urged drivers to stay put “for the safety of plow drivers and emergency officials trying to do their jobs.” Whiteout is when snow significantly reduces visibility.
3. Manhattan’s Central Park recorded nearly 20 inches of snow between February 22 and Monday (local time). Islip on Long Island received more than 22 inches, according to the National Weather Service. Jim Connolly, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said Monday afternoon the snow in New York was tapering off and conditions were improving. He added that the worst is behind New York. Soon after, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani lifted the order, which closed streets, highways and bridges to most traffic. City schools are expected to open for in-person instruction on Tuesday (local time).
4. Heavy snow damaged power lines and caused outages stretching from Virginia to Massachusetts. More than 500,000 homes and businesses were without power as of 5:45 p.m. local time, according to PowerOutage.com. The most outages were reported in Massachusetts with 282,024, followed by New Jersey with 93,090.
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5. A report citing Frank Pereira, chief forecaster at the U.S. Weather Forecast Center, said a weak system moving through the Mid-Atlantic Thursday through Friday is likely to bring several inches of fresh snow to New York, even as far north as Boston. Pereira also predicts that a more powerful storm may arrive in the middle of next week; however, the forecaster said it was too early to predict details.
6. A BBC report, citing the National Weather Service, said a so-called “nor’easter” was expected to move out of the US and across coastal parts of eastern Canada on Tuesday, although strong winds were expected to persist.
7. According to a report on Weather.com, the worst snowfall from Winter Storm Hernando has subsided, but strong winds are expected to continue to sweep across the Northeast overnight, potentially creating whiteout conditions as blowing snow reduces visibility. Blizzard warnings for several coastal areas will end tonight, including major cities such as New York and Portland, Maine, as the snowfall tapers off. However, more exposed locations like Boston may experience blizzard-like conditions by early Tuesday due to lingering gusts. Authorities continue to urge residents to avoid unnecessary travel. Those who must set out are advised to allow extra time and proceed with caution.
