The Blizzard of 2026 in New York City, Tri-State area

Stay with Eyewitness News for live updates on the storm. Check back here for frequent updates.

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Last updated: Wednesday, February 25, 2026 12:44PM GMT
ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News Stream

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The blizzard of 2026 impacted millions across New York City and the Tri-State area on February 22-23, 2026.

The major storm that blanketed the region with snow, canceled flights, disrupted transit and downed power lines.

More than 30 inches of snow fell on parts of Long Island and New Jersey.

What follows is our blog from coverage of the storm.

This blog is no longer being updated.

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Feb 24, 2026, 8:06 PM GMT

Newark urges residents to report snow-related issues

Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka urged residents to report snow-related issues to help crews respond as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Residents should call the non-emergency call center at 973-733-4311 to report:
Streets that have not been plowed
Abandoned vehicles blocking roadways
Snow dumped into the street
Other hazardous snow or ice conditions

"Newark experienced a record and historic snowfall of 27 inches," said Mayor Baraka. "This storm is a good reminder that Newark is a unified community where people watch out for one another. I'm grateful to see neighbors helping neighbors, and I appreciate the community's cooperation in contacting 4311 to report areas in our city or problem that need attention."

The Department of Public Works (DPW) crews are working around the clock to ensure the city's roads are all clear across all neighborhoods. Reports from residents play a critical role in identifying areas where there are issues and dispatching crews where they are needed the most.

The City also reminds residents and businesses that snow must not be pushed or thrown back into the streets after they have been cleared.

Feb 24, 2026, 7:43 PM GMT

Mamdani gives update on NYC snow cleanup

Mayor Zohran Mamdani says New York City is steadily recovering after the "snowstorm of the decade," which brought more than two feet of snow and 60 mph winds to parts of the city.

Crews have been working around the clock, with 2,600 sanitation workers deploying more than 3,000 pieces of equipment to salt, plow, and clear thousands of hydrants, crosswalks, and bus stops.

Schools reopened today, and the mayor explained the move was driven by limited access to remotelearning devices after midwinter break and the essential services schools provide, such as meals, mentalhealth support, and childcare for nearly 900,000 students.

An enhanced Code Blue remains in effect through Wednesday morning. Outreach teams have already made more than 250 placements into shelters since Saturday. New Yorkers who see someone in need are urged to call 311.

Staten Island was the hardest-hit borough, with nearly 28 inches of snowfall. Sanitation staffing there has been boosted by more than 200%, and 99% of roadways have now been plowed at least once.

Trash collection resumes Wednesday night with delays likely, while recycling returns next week. Transit is running but with scattered delays, and NYC Ferry service will be fully back to normal by Wednesday morning.

The mayor ended with a reminder to watch for falling ice as temperatures rise and to shovel safely.

NYC Mayor Mamdani held a news conference on Tuesday afternoon
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Feb 24, 2026, 5:31 PM GMT

Low attendance at Staten Island schools, borough president says

Some officials have been critical of the city's decision to open public schools Tuesday morning, the day after the blizzard.

Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella said one school, "has about 10% of the kids, 90% did not show up. Most middle schools, the attendance is less than 30%, and a lot of elementary schools have less than 100 kids in them."

"Students may be excused for up to two hours for weather and transportation-related delays on Tuesday morning," Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.

Councilman Frank Morano said 180 members of the faculty were absent at Tottenville High School. He also said just 614 students of the reported student body of 3,754 attended classes Tuesday.

Feb 24, 2026, 12:52 PM GMT

Hundreds of flights at NYC area airports grounded following blizzard

Thousands of travelers are stranded across the Northeast as severe weather conditions left flights canceled or delayed.

On Monday, NYC Emergency Management said the there were "major flight disruptions" at all three major airports, John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).

Despite fast work to clear roads and runways, the blizzard caused a ripple effect on Tuesday's air travel.

Here's a look at New York City area flight impacts, according to FlightAware data:

LaGuardia Airport: 263 flights canceled (49% of total flights)
Newark Liberty International Airport: 257 flights canceled (49% of total flights)
John F. Kennedy International Airport: 249 flights canceled (41% of total flights)

Nearly 2,000 flights were canceled on Tuesday.

Check out FlightAware's "Misery Map" here.