New York, New York – Nearly two feet of wind-driven snow and hurricane-force wind gusts are shutting down travel across large portions of the East Coast as Winter Storm Hernado strengthens into a bomb cyclone through Monday night. Visibility has dropped below a quarter mile in some areas, and officials are urging residents to remain off the roads.
According to the National Weather Service, blizzard warnings cover major population centers from eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey through New York City, Long Island and coastal Connecticut. Widespread snowfall totals between 17 and 24 inches are expected in the hardest-hit corridor, with wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph along the coast. The combination of heavy snow and intense winds is producing whiteout conditions and significant drifting.
Across the Mid-Atlantic, including Philadelphia and central New Jersey, highways such as I-95, the New Jersey Turnpike and the Long Island Expressway are becoming snow-covered and hazardous. In higher elevations of the Appalachians, including parts of West Virginia and western Maryland, totals of 5 to 12 inches are creating treacherous mountain travel. Lake-enhanced snow is adding additional accumulation in northern Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania.
Strong winds may snap tree limbs and down power lines from the Delmarva Peninsula to New England, increasing the risk of scattered to widespread outages. The most dangerous conditions are expected overnight into Monday morning, severely impacting both commutes.
Officials urge residents to delay all non-essential travel, prepare emergency supplies and monitor local alerts. Snow and wind will gradually ease from south to north late Monday into early Tuesday, but blowing snow and icy roads may linger beyond the storm’s departure.
