A powerful nor’easter known as Winter Storm Hernando is battering the Northeast with heavy snow, hurricane-force wind gusts and widespread power outages, paralyzing major cities along the I-95 corridor from Virginia to Maine.
The storm rapidly intensified into a bomb cyclone after its central pressure plunged 40 millibars in just 12 hours, far exceeding the threshold for explosive development. Blizzard warnings have been issued for more than 40 million people, marking the first such warning in New York City in nearly a decade.
Snow totals have mounted quickly. Freehold, New Jersey, reported 19 inches as of Sunday morning, while Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, recorded 18 inches. Philadelphia, New York City and Boston were largely shut down as the storm peaked, with New York City implementing a non-essential travel ban through midday. Roads across the region were nearly empty except for plow crews and emergency vehicles, as officials urged residents to stay off highways and allow cleanup operations to proceed.
In Manhattan, snowfall intensified rapidly Saturday evening, with large, wet flakes accumulating quickly on streets and sidewalks. The snow’s high moisture content has weighed down tree branches and power lines, contributing to scattered outages affecting hundreds of thousands of customers across the region.
Meteorologists describe the storm’s snow as dense and heavy — sometimes referred to as “heart attack” snow — because of the physical strain it can place on those attempting to shovel it. Health officials are advising residents to pace themselves, stay hydrated and take frequent breaks while clearing driveways and walkways.
Air travel throughout the Northeast has been severely disrupted, with widespread flight cancellations at major hubs including New York’s LaGuardia and JFK airports, Philadelphia International Airport, and Boston Logan. Rail and bus service has also faced delays and suspensions.
While eastern Pennsylvania bore the brunt of the snowfall, south central Pennsylvania was largely spared from the heaviest bands, seeing lighter accumulations and less severe travel impacts compared to areas closer to the coast and along the I-95 corridor.
Forecasters say the storm will gradually pull away later today, but strong winds and blowing snow may continue to create hazardous conditions even after snowfall tapers off. A massive cleanup effort is expected to follow across some of the nation’s most densely populated metropolitan areas.
Source: The Weather Channel