Event Summary

On 2/22/2026, a powerful winter storm, driven by a rapidly intensifying bomb cyclone, began impacting the New York City metropolitan area, prompting NYC Emergency Management to issue a Hazardous Travel Advisory as heavy snow, strong winds, and near-blizzard conditions developed Sunday into Monday. The National Weather Service placed the five boroughs and surrounding regions under Blizzard Warnings with forecasts of well over a foot of snow (15–20+ inches) and localized higher amounts; some official reports later showed accumulations exceeding 20 inches in parts of the city. Travel became extremely dangerous, leading to citywide travel bans, school closures, transit disruptions, and thousands of flight cancellations at major area airports. Officials urged residents to stay off the roads and prepare for hazardous conditions through the height of the storm.