New York City, New York – Heavy snow along the Interstate 95 corridor has always been a high-stakes event, and new data highlights just how rare truly historic storms remain from Boston to Washington, D.C. A comparison of major snowstorms over the past several decades shows that only a handful delivered widespread, high-end snowfall across every major metro at once, with the Blizzard of ’96 still standing out as the benchmark.
According to the National Weather Service Eastern Region, snowfall totals from major events since the 1980s reveal how difficult it is for a single storm to impact the entire I-95 corridor evenly. While cities like New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore have each seen multiple big snowfalls, many storms were sharply regional, missing key metros by just enough to limit totals.
The February 2003 President’s Day storm remains the only other modern-era system to rival the Blizzard of ’96 in terms of widespread reach. In New York City, that event delivered nearly two feet of snow, while Boston and Washington also recorded significant accumulations. More recent storms have produced major impacts in select areas but failed to blanket the entire corridor.
Transportation agencies continue to use these historic events as planning guides, especially for snow removal, rail operations, and emergency response. Officials stress that even moderate snow can cause major disruptions in the densely populated Northeast.
The National Weather Service notes that while storms of this magnitude are a once-in-a-generation occurrence, preparation remains critical whenever winter systems threaten the I-95 corridor, with future advisories issued as conditions warrant.
I-95 Corridor Snowstorm Leaders (North → South)
Boston, MA
• Jan 23–24, 2016 – ~27.5″
(Edges out the Blizzard of ’96 for Boston’s top spot)
Worcester, MA
• Feb 9–10, 2010 – ~34.5″
(Notably not a corridor-wide blockbuster)
Providence, RI
• Feb 5–6, 1978 – ~28.6″
(Classic New England blizzard)
Hartford, CT
• Feb 5–6, 1978 – ~27.1″
Bridgeport, CT
• Feb 5–6, 1978 – ~20.0″
New York City, NY (Central Park)
• Jan 22–23, 2016 – ~27.5″
(Current all-time city record)
Newark, NJ
• Feb 9–10, 2010 – ~24.5″
Trenton, NJ
• Feb 5–6, 1978 – ~26.8″
Atlantic City, NJ
• Feb 5–6, 1978 – ~18.2″
Philadelphia, PA
• Jan 6–8, 1996 – ~30.7″
(Still the gold standard for Philly)
Wilmington, DE
• Jan 6–8, 1996 – ~22.1″
Baltimore, MD
• Feb 5–6, 2010 – ~25.0″
(Snowmageddon)
Washington, D.C. (National Airport area)
• Feb 5–6, 2010 – ~17.8″
Dulles Airport, VA
• Feb 5–6, 2010 – ~32.4″
(One of the highest totals anywhere along I-95)
