East Coast Gripped by Blizzard as Winter Storm Hernando Intensifies
Snow is piling up rapidly and powerful winds are making travel impossible across much of the heavily populated Northeast as Winter Storm Hernando enters its second day. Power outages continue to spike and entire cities are shut down today, as the storm intensifies off the East Coast.
According to The Weather Channel, Winter Storm Hernando has already brought over a foot of snow to parts of Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut. Winds have gusted up to 79 mph in southeast Massachusetts, with at least a dozen other locations reporting gusts of 60 mph or higher, including New York’s JFK Airport and Atlantic City, New Jersey.
The low-pressure system has intensified rapidly enough to be deemed a bomb cyclone, with central pressure plunging 40 millibars in 24 hours ending at 1 a.m. ET Monday morning, according to analyses from NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center.
Thundersnow Reported in Massachusetts
Adding to the intensity of the storm, thundersnow was reported in Plymouth, Massachusetts, early Monday morning. The Weather Channel storm tracker Jim Cantore witnessed lightning strikes near him while reporting live from the area.
Widespread Power Outages
As of 4:39 a.m. EST, more than 250,000 customers were without power across the region. New Jersey reported the highest number of outages, with over 103,000 customers affected, followed by Delaware with 68,000 and Maryland with 33,000.
Flight Cancellations Surpass 10,000
The storm has caused widespread disruption to air travel, with more than 10,000 flights canceled from Sunday through Tuesday. Over 5,300 flights were canceled today alone, and another 1,300 are already canceled for tomorrow. Travelers are advised to check with their airlines frequently for updates.
“Heart-Attack Snow” Poses Health Risk
Digital meteorologist Caitlin Kaiser warned residents about the dangers of “heart-attack snow,” describing it as heavier and wetter snow due to temperatures hovering around freezing. This type of snow puts extra strain on the cardiovascular system during shoveling, and residents are urged to take extra care.
Bomb Cyclone Status Confirmed
Winter Storm Hernando officially reached bomb cyclone status early Monday morning, with a drop in central pressure of about 40 millibars in 12 hours. The storm achieved this intensification in approximately nine hours.
Peak Intensity Approaching
Senior meteorologist Jonathan Erdman stated that Winter Storm Hernando is nearing its peak intensity, with its central pressure similar to that of a Category 2 hurricane. However, Erdman emphasized that This represents a cold-core storm, unlike the warm-core nature of hurricanes.
The storm is expected to bring blizzard conditions, heavy snow, and damaging winds from the mid-Atlantic to New England. Blizzard warnings have been issued across the East Coast from Virginia to New Hampshire, including all five boroughs of New York City.
Officials are recommending that anyone in the region avoid travel, as dangerous road conditions are expected through Monday. As snow piles up and winds rise, power outages and flight cancellations will increase rapidly.
Residents are also warned to be prepared for the threat of black ice in the days following the storm, as melting snow refreezes overnight.