A rapidly intensifying storm triggered blizzard warnings Saturday for New York City, New Jersey and Boston as communities along the East Coast prepared for the Sunday arrival of heavy snow and damaging winds.
The National Weather Service increased its assessment of the potential severity of Winter Storm Hernando, projected to be much milder only days earlier.
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Up to 1.5 feet of snow was forecast in and around New York City, including Long Island, the National Weather Service said.
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A combination of heavy snowfall and strong winds will hit New Jersey to southeastern New England particularly hard.
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First blizzard warning in New York City since 2017.
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Winds of 25 to 35 mph (40 to 56 kph) with gusts 45 to 55 mph expected Sunday night.
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Strongest impact will be on the coast.
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Washington, D.C., and Baltimore areas are under winter storm watch.
Just a few weeks ago, a huge winter storm dropped snow, sleet and freezing rain from Texas to New England. Now the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic are bracing for blizzard conditions and airlines are already trying to ease the storm’s impact on operations.
Major Airlines Cancel Flights
American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Southwest and United Airlines on Feb. 21 alerted travelers with flights booked for Feb. 22 and 23 departing from and going through East Coast airports from Virginia to Maine that change fees and fare differences would be waived if they want to adjust their plans.
Other cancellations include:
- Turkish Airlines: Cancelled flights to/from New York on Feb. 21–23.
- Singapore Airlines: Cancelled specific flights to/from JFK on Feb. 22 (SQ24, SQ23, SQ26, SQ25).
- Air Canada & Jazz Aviation: Reported cancellations on Feb. 21, with potential continued impact on Feb 22.
The governors of New Jersey and New York have already issued a state of emergency ahead of the storm, which is expected to create major travel disruptions and delays. “These are very dangerous driving conditions, so please plan to stay off the roads,” New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said Saturday, Feb. 21.
Amtrak is adjusting service on the East Coast for Sunday and Monday, Feb. 22-23, the company said.
More than 1,000 flight cancellations are expected on Sunday with 1,500 more on Monday, AccuWeather experts estimate.
In posts on X, New York airports John F. Kennedy Airport and LaGuardia Airport, along with Boston Logan International Airport, alerted travelers to check their flight status regularly with their airline before heading to the airport.
“Travel will be treacherous, if not impossible, during the worst of the storm. More than 2,500 flights could be canceled at major airports across the Northeast,” said Carl Erickson, AccuWeather’s director of forecasting operations. “Blowing snow with near-zero visibility will make travel on the highways incredibly dangerous. People attempting to drive through this nor’easter could end up stranded for hours.”
