Millions brace for a blizzard after forecast ‘shifted dramatically’

The forecast for a winter storm rapidly solidified as the weekend began, leading forecasters and authorities to warn a dangerous nor’easter will dump up to 20 inches of snow in parts of the Northeast starting late in the weekend.

Millions of people are being warned about the potential for blizzard conditions. The winter storm, the path of which has concerned forecasters for days, is now expected to bring “significant impacts” across the mid-Atlantic and Northeast Sunday into Monday, the National Weather Service said Saturday.

Blizzard and winter storm warnings were issued for tens of millions of people across a swath of the Northeast, concentrating around New York City.

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency, effective at noon on Sunday. “I urge New Jerseyans to use caution, stay off the roads, and follow all safety protocols during the storm,” she said in a post on X.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul also declared a state of emergency for 22 counties covering New York City, Long Island, parts of the Hudson Valley and Capital Region beginning Sunday morning . “Two days ago we were expecting a run of the mill February storm something we are used to handling (and) very accustomed to,” Hochul said during a news conference Saturday afternoon. “But over the last 24 hours, this forecast has shifted dramatically and once again, New York State is in the crosshairs of a very dangerous, fast moving, potentially life threatening winter storm.”

Hochul urged residents to “stay home and stay safe,” and suggested Long Island residents vacate places where flooding could occur.

The city of Yonkers, New York, and Westchester County have also declared a state of emergency.

New York City Comptroller Mark Levine said the city is even paying for residents to become “emergency snow shovelers” to help remove snow and ice. In a post on X on Saturday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said 1,000 emergency shovelers have been hired.

Blizzard conditions from heavy snowfall and strong winds are expected along the East Coast from Delaware through southeastern New England, the NWS said. Travel will be “extremely treacherous across these areas” due to reduced visibility, the NWS said.

Snowfall rates of more than 1 inch per hour are expected, with some areas getting 1 to 2 feet of snow – levels expected to cause hazardous travel conditions, the weather service said.

The nor’easter comes from a storm moving from the Gulf Coast over the weekend and “will strengthen rapidly along the Atlantic Coast, spreading accumulating snow from West Virginia through the mid-Atlantic and into southern New England from Saturday night through Monday,” according to AccuWeather.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged New Yorkers to “Stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary. If you can stay home, stay home” due to the blizzard warning, in a post on X.

Where will

the winter storm hit?

The storm is forecast to bring 6 to 12 inches of heavy, wet snow to coastal areas from Philadelphia and New York City to Boston, according to AccuWeather. One to 2 inches of snow per hour are expected at times Sunday into Sunday night, according to the forecast.

“Winter storm watches and warnings have been issued along portions of the Eastern seaboard and also for the higher terrain of the northern Appalachians,” said Weather.com meteorologist Jonathan Erdman in an online forecast from Saturday morning. “Don’t be surprised if more winter storm watches are converted to blizzard warnings in the upcoming hours.”

The low pressure forming Sunday off the East Coast, between the Delmarva Peninsula and the Carolinas, could gain enough strength to be called a “bomb cyclone” by early Monday, Erdman said. A “bomb cyclone” is a term for rapidly intensifying low pressure resulting in a storm akin to a winter hurricane.

The storm is expected to strengthen so quickly that Brian Hurley, a senior branch forecaster with the U.S. Weather Prediction Center went so far as to call it “a super bomb,” in an interview with Bloomberg.

“It is a true nor’easter,” Hurley told Bloomberg. “It is going to stay awhile, too. It is going to hang around for much of Monday. The highest amounts are projected for central and eastern Long Island and coastal New Jersey where there is 20 inches in the forecast.”

Strong winds will contribute to blowing and drifting snow, sharply reduced visibility, difficult travel and potential power outages. Minor coastal flooding is possible during times of high tide, along with beach erosion in eastern Massachusetts.

Wind gusts of 40 mph to 70 mph are expected from coastal New Jersey into southeast New England, the NWS said. Combined with the heavy snow, those regions will likely be hit with “scattered to numerous power outages,” the weather service said.

The heaviest snowfall in New Jersey – potentially 2 inches per hour – and strongest winds are expected between Sunday night and Monday morning, Sherrill said during a news conference Saturday afternoon. “These are very dangerous driving conditions, so please plan to stay off the roads,” she said.

‘Been years’ since a NYC blizzard warning

Snow will continue over the Northeast/Northern mid-Atlantic through Monday evening, the NWS said.

The storm will likely disrupt travel and airport operations in Philadelphia, New York City and Boston, said James Spann, AMS certified broadcast meteorologist, in a post on X. “Warnings will likely be extended up coastal Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts,” he said.

For New York City, it’s the first blizzard warning since 2017, The New York Times reported.

”It’s been years since I’ve seen this kind ⁠of blizzard warnings for the northeast. Too say it’s long overdue is an understatement,” The Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore posted on X.

How to prepare for power outages

The combination of heavy snow, along with high winds and gusts, could lead to downed tree limbs and subsequent power outages.

The American Red Cross recommends preparing for a potential power outage by collecting supplies, including coolers, ice, water, flashlights, batteries, a first aid kit, a seven-day supply of medication and more.

If power is lost for less than two hours, most perishable food should be safe to consume. However, if you lose power for four hours or more, food in the fridge should be discarded.

To stay warm, have your family and pets stay in one room. Do not use a stove or oven to heat your home, as they may release carbon monoxide that can lead to poisoning and death.