Winter Storm Hernando Freezes the East Coast: 11,000 US Flights Canceled as 32.8 Inches of Snow Shatters Records Across Northeast Cities

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A wall of snow and wind turned large parts of the United States into a frozen standstill. Winter Storm Hernando swept across the Northeast and East Coast, grounding more than 11,000 US flights and leaving over 500,000 homes and businesses in darkness. The storm rewrote weather records and tested power grids, airlines and city services at once.

The worst conditions hit from Virginia to Massachusetts. Snowfall crossed historic levels in several cities. Manhattan’s Central Park recorded nearly 20 inches of snow between Sunday and Monday. Islip on Long Island received over 22 inches. Providence in Providence logged 32.8 inches, breaking its 1978 blizzard record.

Record Snowfall and Powerful Winds


Strong winds added to the chaos. Gusts reached 47 miles per hour at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Islands like Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard saw winds near 70 miles per hour. Heavy, wet snow snapped tree limbs and damaged power lines. As of 5:45 pm New York time, 519,232 customers faced power outages. Massachusetts alone reported 282,024 outages. New Jersey followed with 93,090.

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Transportation networks struggled under pressure. Flight tracking service FlightAware counted 11,055 canceled US flights from Sunday through Tuesday. Airports in New York and Boston faced the biggest disruption. Rail travel also stopped. Amtrak suspended service between New York and Boston through Monday night.

Travel Disruptions and Emergency Response


Road travel froze in several states. Massachusetts officials ordered drivers to stay off the roads as plow crews cleared abandoned vehicles. Governor Maura Healey urged residents to remain indoors for safety. Whiteout conditions made rescue operations difficult.

New York City began recovery by late Monday. Mayor Zohran Mamdani lifted restrictions on highways and bridges. City schools reopened for offline classes on Tuesday. Meteorologists said snowfall tapered off across New York by afternoon.

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Energy Markets and What Comes Next


Energy markets reacted quickly. US natural gas futures jumped as much as 6.8% in early Asian trading on Sunday. Traders expected higher heating demand. Prices later eased as widespread power outages reduced immediate consumption. On the PJM Interconnection grid, real time electricity prices hovered near 37 dollars per megawatt hour, below day ahead levels.

About 41 million people faced blizzard warnings during the peak of Winter Storm Hernando. Coastal flooding risks rose due to strong winds. Cleanup crews now confront icy roads and weakened trees. 

Meteorologists at the US Weather Prediction Center track another system later this week. A stronger storm may develop by mid next week, though forecast models differ on rain or snow.

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Winter Storm Hernando leaves a sharp reminder. Extreme winter events continue to strain US flights and city planning. Recovery will take days. The impact may shape preparedness strategies for future record snowfall events.