A powerful winter storm is barreling toward the US East Coast, prompting blizzard warnings across major cities and the cancellation of over 1,500 flights. From New York to Boston, authorities are bracing for heavy snowfall, gale-force winds, and coastal flooding that could cripple travel and daily life.
The National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center has issued stark alerts for the mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions. A low-pressure system forming in the Southeast is expected to intensify rapidly, pushing northward along the coast by Sunday evening. Forecasters predict snowfall rates exceeding one inch per hour at times, potentially accumulating up to two feet in some areas. Such intense conditions will make roadways nearly impassable, with visibility dropping to hazardous levels.
Coastal communities from Delaware to southeastern New England face the worst of it. High winds gusting 40 to 70 mph could combine with heavy, wet snow to knock out power lines, leaving thousands without electricity. Moderate coastal flooding is also on the horizon, threatening roads, properties, and infrastructure near the shorelines, especially from coastal New Jersey onward.
This storm’s ferocity stems from the classic clash of cold continental air masses meeting warmer Atlantic waters, a recipe for potent February blasts along the Atlantic seaboard. Airlines have already grounded flights at key hubs, stranding passengers and disrupting holiday travel plans. Emergency services urge residents to stock up on essentials, avoid unnecessary travel, and prepare for possible outages.
As the system deepens from Sunday into Monday, its impacts will ripple across the Northeast, underscoring the unpredictable wrath of winter even late in the season. Officials emphasize staying informed through local updates, as conditions evolve rapidly.