A massive Winter Storm Hernando hit the United States East Coast on Monday (local time), bringing record-breaking snow that disrupted normal life for millions of people, leaving them stuck inside their homes and without power.
A BBC report citing the National Weather Service said that parts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts witnessed nearly 37 inches of snowfall, with more than 19 inches in New York City’s Central Park.
Weather warnings were stretched from North Carolina to Northern Maine and even extended to some parts of eastern Canada. The report also added that over 600,000 properties on the US East Coast suffered power outages. Due to the winter storm, the Boston Globe, which is a major US Newspaper, said that it will not go to print, making it the first time in its 153-year history.
Key updates on Storm Hernando
1. Reports suggest that travel across the region has been severely impacted, with some states and cities imposing travel bans during the worst period of the storm. According to a Bloomberg report, over 11,000 flights have been grounded through Tuesday (local time). The impact is likely to linger on for days.
2. In Massachusetts, drivers in some parts were advised to stay off the roads as snowplow crews struggled to catch up after whiteout conditions engulfed the state’s South Coast. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said, “We have reports of abandoned and stuck cars on the roads, and tow trucks are having difficulty getting to them,” and urged drivers to stay put “for the safety of plow drivers and emergency officials who are trying to do their jobs.” A whiteout is when snow reduces the visibility significantly.
3. Central Park in Manhattan recorded nearly 20 inches of snow from 22 February till 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 that by Monday afternoon, the snow dwindled across New York and that the conditions were improving. He added that the worst for New York was over. Soon after, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani lifted the order that closed streets, highways, and bridges to most traffic. City schools are expected to be open for in-person instruction on Tuesday (local time).
4. Heavy snow damaged power lines and caused outages stretching from Virginia to Massachusetts. Over 500,000 homes and businesses were without power as of 5:45 PM local time, according to data from PowerOutage.com. The most outages were reported in Massachusetts at 282,024, followed by New Jersey at 93,090.
5. The report citing Frank Pereira, a senior branch forecaster at the US Weather Prediction Center, said that a weak system moving through the Mid-Atlantic Thursday into Friday is likely to bring a few inches of fresh snow to New York City, even as far north as Boston. Pereira also predicts that a more robust storm can arrive in the middle of next week; however, the forecaster said that it is too early to predict the details.
6.The BBC report citing the National Weather Service said that the so-called “nor’easter” is expected to move away from the US on Tuesday and across coastal parts of eastern Canada, though strong winds are expected to persist.
7.According to a report in weather.comthe worst of the snowfall from Winter Storm Hernando has tapered off, but strong winds are expected to continue sweeping across the Northeast overnight, potentially creating whiteout conditions as blowing snow reduces visibility. Blizzard warnings in several coastal areas are scheduled to end later this evening, including in major cities such as New York and Portland, Maine, as snowfall diminishes. But, more exposed locations like Boston may continue to experience blizzard-like conditions into early Tuesday due to persistent gusts. Authorities continue to urge residents to avoid unnecessary travel. Those who must head out are advised to allow extra time and proceed with caution.
