Blizzard of 2026 Storm Thread/OBS

[Newman]

About 5" in Fleetwood storm total. But wow, congrats to all who scored big on this one! Those in SE Bucks County definitely hit the jack on this one as far as totals in PA go. Incredible radar image across southern New England this morning with a firehose band with 6" hour rates in it. Saw a report out of Rhode Island up to 35". Providence RI might break their all time record from 1978

[The Iceman]

2 minutes ago, Newman said:

About 5" in Fleetwood storm total. But wow, congrats to all who scored big on this one! Those in SE Bucks County definitely hit the jack on this one as far as totals in PA go. Incredible radar image across southern New England this morning with a firehose band with 6" hour rates in it. Saw a report out of Rhode Island up to 35". Providence RI might break their all time record from 1978

I think somewhere in Monmouth or Burlington is going to be the true jackpot in our cwa. Freehold had 24.2” a few hours ago and they been under heavy echoes since then, someone in there is going to hit 30”. Manchester/Jackson area as well. They’ve gotten hit even harder than us in se bucks/ne Burlington. 

[LVblizzard]

Ended with about 6 inches here. Not a huge bust on the level of Boxing Day or Juno, but it’s definitely a “what could have been” storm.

[JTA66]

Damn! I'll see if I can return all those "It Can't Snow in MJO Phase 3!" t-shirts I had screened printed.

[The Iceman]

Be careful shoveling above anything with snow… had a big chunk of snow/slush blow off the roof and nearly decapitate me…

[Hurricane Agnes]

51 minutes ago, LVLion77 said:

I’m not salty at all. It was an added bonus on an above average year. But factual reality is that likely 3/4 of their geographical area under performed their forecast to a very significant degree.

I think the snow total ranges were spot on but the only thing that perhaps "under performed" were the winds west of the Delaware River.

I am about 5 miles east of KLOM (Wings Field) and the strongest gusts have so far been around 22 mph throughout the event so far - https://forecast.weather.gov/data/obhistory/KLOM.html   ("real time" updated link).

 

Quote

Weather observations for the past three days for

Philadelphia - Wings Field Airport

Imperial (Metric)

Date	Time (est)	Wind (mph)	Vis. (mi.)	Weather	Sky Cond.	Temperature (ºF)				Relative Humidity	Wind Chill (°F)	Heat Index (°F)	Pressure		Precipitation (in)
						Air	Dwpt	6 hour					altimeter (in)	sea level (mb)	1 hr	3 hr	6 hr
								Max.	Min.
23	10:15	NW 14 G 18	1.75	Light Snow Fog/Mist	SCT014 BKN019 OVC027	31.1	28			88%	22		29.63	0.0
23	09:55	NW 9 G 21	1.25	Light Snow Fog/Mist	BKN011 OVC018	30.7	28.2			90%	23		29.63	0.0
23	09:35	NW 10 G 20	1.00	Light Snow Fog/Mist	BKN009 OVC017	30.4	28.2			92%	22		29.63	0.0
23	09:15	NW 12 G 22	1.00	Light Snow Fog/Mist	OVC010	30.2	28.2			92%	21		29.63	0.0
23	08:55	NW 10 G 20	1.25	Light Snow Fog/Mist	BKN008 BKN012 OVC017	30	28.2			93%	22		29.63	0.0
23	08:35	NW 7 G 22	1.50	Light Snow Fog/Mist	BKN010 OVC015	30	28.4			94%	24		29.63	0.0
23	08:15	NW 10 G 20	1.25	Light Snow Fog/Mist	OVC015	30	28.4			94%	22		29.63	0.0
23	07:55	NW 12	1.25	Light Snow Fog/Mist	OVC013	30	28.4			94%	21		29.63	0.0
23	07:35	NW 8 G 16	1.25	Light Snow Fog/Mist	OVC013	30	28.2			93%	23		29.63	0.0
23	07:15	NW 10	2.50	Light Snow Fog/Mist	BKN009 BKN014 OVC020	30	28.6			94%	22		29.62	0.0
23	06:55	NW 8 G 18	3.50	Light Snow Fog/Mist	BKN009 OVC015	30	28.6	30	29.3	94%	23		29.61	0.0			0.01
23	06:35	NW 9	3.00	Light Snow Fog/Mist	BKN009 OVC013	30	28.6			94%	22		29.61	0.0
23	06:15	NW 9 G 16	2.50	Light Snow Fog/Mist	BKN009 OVC013	29.8	28.6			95%	22		29.61	0.0
23	05:55	NW 9 G 17	2.50	Light Snow Fog/Mist	BKN009 OVC015	29.8	28.6			95%	22		29.62	0.0
23	05:35	NW 12 G 18	2.00	Light Snow Fog/Mist	OVC009	29.7	28.4			95%	21		29.62	0.0
23	05:15	NW 10	2.00	Light Snow Fog/Mist	OVC007	29.7	28.4			95%	21		29.61	0.0
23	04:55	NW 9 G 18	1.25	Light Snow Fog/Mist	OVC007	29.5	28.4			96%	22		29.61	0.0	0.01
23	04:35	NW 8	1.00	Snow Fog/Mist	OVC007	29.5	28.4			96%	22		29.61	0.0	0.01
23	04:15	NW 14 G 18	1.25	Snow Fog/Mist	OVC007	29.5	28.4			96%	20		29.61	0.0
23	03:55	NW 8 G 18	1.25	Snow Fog/Mist	OVC009	29.5	28.4			96%	22		29.6	0.0
23	03:35	N 9 G 20	1.00	Snow Fog/Mist	OVC009	29.3	28.2			96%	22		29.59	0.0
23	03:15	NW 9	1.50	Light Snow Fog/Mist	OVC009	29.3	28.2			96%	22		29.6	0.0
23	02:55	N 8 G 18	1.25	Snow Fog/Mist	OVC011	29.3	28.2			96%	22		29.6	0.0
23	02:35	N 9 G 18	1.50	Light Snow Fog/Mist	OVC011	29.3	28.2			96%	22		29.61	0.0
23	02:15	N 13 G 20	1.75	Light Snow Fog/Mist	BKN008 OVC013	29.5	28.4			96%	20		29.62	0.0
23	01:55	N 10 G 18	2.00	Light Snow Fog/Mist	BKN010 OVC014	29.3	28.4			96%	21		29.63	0.0
23	01:35	N 9 G 21	1.25	Snow Fog/Mist	OVC008	29.3	28.4			96%	22		29.63	0.0
23	01:15	N 12 G 21	1.00	Snow Fog/Mist	OVC009	29.5	28.6			96%	21		29.64	0.0
23	00:55	N 10 G 17	1.50	Light Snow Fog/Mist	OVC009	29.5	28.8	30.2	29.5	97%	21		29.65	0.0			0.21
23	00:35	N 12 G 20	1.00	Snow Fog/Mist	OVC011	29.5	28.8			97%	21		29.67	0.0
23	00:15	N 13 G 17	1.00	Snow Fog/Mist	OVC011	29.5	28.6			96%	20		29.68	0.0
22	23:55	N 7 G 21	2.00	Light Snow Fog/Mist	OVC009	29.5	28.8			97%	23		29.69	0.0	0.01
22	23:35	N 13 G 20	1.25	Light Snow Fog/Mist	OVC009	29.5	28.9			98%	20		29.7	0.0	0.01
22	23:15	N 9 G 20	1.00	Snow Fog/Mist	OVC007	29.7	29.1			98%	22		29.71	0.0
22	22:55	N 12 G 18	1.00	Snow Fog/Mist	OVC007	29.7	29.1			98%	21		29.72	0.0	0.02
22	22:35	N 10 G 18	1.25	Light Snow Fog/Mist	OVC007	29.7	29.1			98%	21		29.74	0.0	0.02
22	22:15	N 12 G 20	1.00	Snow Fog/Mist	OVC007	29.7	29.3			99%	21		29.75	0.0	0.01
22	21:55	N 12 G 20	0.50	Heavy Snow Freezing Fog	OVC005	29.7	29.3			99%	21		29.77	0.0	0.05	0.18
22	21:35	N 13 G 21	0.50	Heavy Snow Freezing Fog	OVC007	29.7	29.3			99%	20		29.78	0.0	0.03
22	21:15	N 12 G 17	0.75	Snow Fog/Mist	OVC007	29.7	29.3			99%	21		29.8	0.0	0.01
22	20:55	N 9 G 17	0.75	Snow Fog/Mist	OVC007	29.7	29.3			99%	22		29.81	0.0	0.05
22	20:35	N 9 G 20	0.75	Snow Fog/Mist	OVC007	29.7	29.3			99%	22		29.81	0.0	0.03
22	20:15	N 9 G 17	0.75	Snow Fog/Mist	OVC007	29.7	29.3			99%	22		29.83	0.0	0.02
22	19:55	N 9	0.75	Snow Fog/Mist	OVC006	29.7	29.3			99%	22		29.83	0.0	0.08
22	19:35	N 7	0.50	Heavy Snow Freezing Fog	OVC006	29.8	29.5			99%	24		29.83	0.0	0.06
22	19:15	N 10	0.50	Heavy Snow Freezing Fog	OVC006	29.8	29.7			99%	22		29.84	0.0	0.03
22	18:55	N 8	0.75	Heavy Snow Fog/Mist	OVC006	30.2	29.8	38.3	30.2	99%	23		29.84	0.0	0.03		0.19
22	18:35	NE 8	1.25	Light Snow Fog/Mist	OVC006	30.6	30.2			99%	24		29.84	0.0	0.01
22	18:15	NE 8	1.00	Snow Fog/Mist	OVC006	30.9	30.6			99%	24		29.84	0.0	0.01
22	17:55	NE 7	0.75	Snow Fog/Mist	OVC006	31.1	30.9			99%	25		29.83	0.0	0.04
22	17:35	NE 5	0.50	Snow Freezing Fog	OVC004	31.5	31.3			99%	27		29.83	0.0	0.03
22	17:15	NE 9 G 23	0.50	Snow Fog	OVC006	31.5	31.3			99%	24		29.83	0.0	0.02
22	16:55	NE 9	0.50	Snow Fog	OVC004	32	31.6			99%	25		29.85	0.0	0.04
22	16:35	NE 8 G 17	0.50	Snow Fog	OVC006	32	31.6			99%	25		29.84	0.0	0.02
22	16:15	NE 12 G 16	0.50	Snow Fog	OVC006	32.2	31.8			99%	24		29.84	0.0	0.01
22	15:55	NE 10	1.00	Light Snow Fog/Mist	OVC006	32.4	32			99%	25		29.85	0.0	0.04	0.07
22	15:35	NE 13	0.75	Light Snow Fog/Mist	OVC006	32.5	32			98%	24		29.86	0.0	0.02
22	15:15	NE 9 G 18	3.00	Light Snow Fog/Mist	OVC008	33.8	33.8			100%	27		29.86	0.0	0.01

 

 It's possible as the storm continues to bomb out and move away, the pressure differential may kick up the winds and blow a lot of this stuff around.

[mattinpa]

Looks like around 8 inches at my house near Royersford? Seems like that is also in agreement with the reports I have seen. Congrats to those who got the huge totals!

[Newman]

I've actually gotta agree with @LVLion77here. If we take a look at the NWS official forecast from yesterday morning, many many places busted significantly low on totals. I don't have their map right before the storm when they lowered totals, but I know even then they were too high in a lot of places west of 476.

Based on this map: 24" in Mount Pocono? Last I saw they had 4". 15" in Reading? More like 4". Fleetwood was under a warning for 7-14" and we got 5. ChescoWX was in the 18-24" contour and he got 9-10". Even 20" in Philly center city will be too high. Overall Jersey did well, and they nailed the local max along the Jersey coast.

None of this is to discredit the NWS of course, I'm not sure what else they could've done with the data on their hands yesterday morning. I know they'll go back and evaluate what went wrong and what they could've done better. I think there was obviously too much lean on the western NAM/HRRR/FV3 outliers. But the RGEM was ridiculously low on the far eastern side. If you're on this forum, you knew yesterday morning things were shifting back east and that totals would be significantly less so right then your expectations should've been with a modest plowable snow. If I'm the general public in Allentown and I looked at this map yesterday and planned for 15"? Well then yeah, I'd call it a bust. I think the NWS just went too high too soon and then played catch up last second.

[Chadzachadam]

Basically a perfect storm here: 

1) started as rain to wash away any annoying salt

2) wet snow stuck on all the trees

3) winds were light so not many trees/branches down

4) roads are already rapidly improving, 32F with sun peeking through

still light snow here, final total will probably be around 18" but hard to be totally certain because there was lots of compaction

[Chadzachadam]

1 minute ago, Newman said:

I've actually gotta agree with @LVLion77here. If we take a look at the NWS official forecast from yesterday morning, many many places busted significantly low on totals. I don't have their map right before the storm when they lowered totals, but I know even then they were too high in a lot of places west of 476.

Based on this map: 24" in Mount Pocono? Last I saw they had 4". 15" in Reading? More like 4". Fleetwood was under a warning for 7-14" and we got 5. ChescoWX was in the 18-24" contour and he got 9-10". Even 20" in Philly center city will be too high. Overall Jersey did well, and they nailed the local max along the Jersey coast.

None of this is to discredit the NWS of course, I'm not sure what else they could've done with the data on their hands yesterday morning. I know they'll go back and evaluate what went wrong and what they could've done better. I think there was obviously too much lean on the western NAM/HRRR/FV3 outliers. But the RGEM was ridiculously low on the far eastern side. If you're on this forum, you knew yesterday morning things were shifting back east and that totals would be significantly less so right then your expectations should've been with a modest plowable snow. If I'm the general public in Allentown and I looked at this map yesterday and planned for 15"? Well then yeah, I'd call it a bust. I think the NWS just went too high too soon and then played catch up last second.

I actually think 20" in Philly will be about right, at least if measured properly (clearing snow board every couple hours). but on the ground total will probably be more like 14 or 15"

[Violentweatherfan]

I think the only thing that underperformed was the wind other than that is great storm

[Violentweatherfan]

I just got into work in Langhorne, PA and it’s definitely more snow here. You can tell the state maintained roads versus Township roads lol

[Newman]

Just now, Chadzachadam said:

I actually think 20" in Philly will be about right, at least if measured properly (clearing snow board every couple hours). but on the ground total will probably be more like 14 or 15"

Gotcha, that's good to know I was looking at the PHL 7am report ha. It came down to wherever that western deformation band set up, which we knew would be the case. The NWS did very with far SE PA, Jersey, and Delaware. But NW burbs not so much. It just is what it is.

[Newman]

Also, remember that two things can be true at the same time here. This was an amazing, historic storm for many that lived up to expectations. But also a huge underperformer for others. This was never going to be a 1996 or 2016 that smacked almost the entire region in widespread 1-3 feet. 

[LVblizzard]

8 minutes ago, Newman said:

I've actually gotta agree with @LVLion77here. If we take a look at the NWS official forecast from yesterday morning, many many places busted significantly low on totals. I don't have their map right before the storm when they lowered totals, but I know even then they were too high in a lot of places west of 476.

Based on this map: 24" in Mount Pocono? Last I saw they had 4". 15" in Reading? More like 4". Fleetwood was under a warning for 7-14" and we got 5. ChescoWX was in the 18-24" contour and he got 9-10". Even 20" in Philly center city will be too high. Overall Jersey did well, and they nailed the local max along the Jersey coast.

None of this is to discredit the NWS of course, I'm not sure what else they could've done with the data on their hands yesterday morning. I know they'll go back and evaluate what went wrong and what they could've done better. I think there was obviously too much lean on the western NAM/HRRR/FV3 outliers. But the RGEM was ridiculously low on the far eastern side. If you're on this forum, you knew yesterday morning things were shifting back east and that totals would be significantly less so right then your expectations should've been with a modest plowable snow. If I'm the general public in Allentown and I looked at this map yesterday and planned for 15"? Well then yeah, I'd call it a bust. I think the NWS just went too high too soon and then played catch up last second.

I think the problem is that they rely too heavily on the NBM which has far more mesos/SREF data ingested into it than global model data. The same thing happened a month ago in the DC area, the NBM kept giving them a foot when it was clear they would be mostly sleet.

[Mo Snow]

4 minutes ago, Newman said:

Also, remember that two things can be true at the same time here. This was an amazing, historic storm for many that lived up to expectations. But also a huge underperformer for others. This was never going to be a 1996 or 2016 that smacked almost the entire region in widespread 1-3 feet. 

Yeah, here in Old City im hearing reports of like 16. But walking around this morning, with compaction and melting(?) already, didn't feel like a lot. Definitely not 20", closer to 12"

My sister is sending me pics from Carteret, NJ (Across from staten island) and they easily got 2 feet of snow. Historic there. Same as newark airport and areas east of there

[zenmsav6810]

I think I ended up with about 2.5" or 3" here. 

[JTA66]

12 minutes ago, Newman said:

I've actually gotta agree with @LVLion77here. If we take a look at the NWS official forecast from yesterday morning, many many places busted significantly low on totals. I don't have their map right before the storm when they lowered totals, but I know even then they were too high in a lot of places west of 476.

Based on this map: 24" in Mount Pocono? Last I saw they had 4". 15" in Reading? More like 4". Fleetwood was under a warning for 7-14" and we got 5. ChescoWX was in the 18-24" contour and he got 9-10". Even 20" in Philly center city will be too high. Overall Jersey did well, and they nailed the local max along the Jersey coast.

None of this is to discredit the NWS of course, I'm not sure what else they could've done with the data on their hands yesterday morning. I know they'll go back and evaluate what went wrong and what they could've done better. I think there was obviously too much lean on the western NAM/HRRR/FV3 outliers. But the RGEM was ridiculously low on the far eastern side. If you're on this forum, you knew yesterday morning things were shifting back east and that totals would be significantly less so right then your expectations should've been with a modest plowable snow. If I'm the general public in Allentown and I looked at this map yesterday and planned for 15"? Well then yeah, I'd call it a bust. I think the NWS just went too high too soon and then played catch up last second.

I'd have to call it an underperformer here, but no complaints or criticism of Mt Holly. We knew the banding would be the story. Get under one and you were golden. Also, the warm ground going in played a factor. It was snowing to beat the band here last night, that's why I was a little surprised to see I "only" ended up with 8-9".

Silver lining is not having to dig out from 15"+.

[BBasile]

Now for the shitty part of big storms. 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

29 minutes ago, JTA66 said:

Damn! I'll see if I can return all those "It Can't Snow in MJO Phase 3!" t-shirts I had screened printed.

Who told you that? I could have told you that was false. Phase 3 is the coldest for February.

[The Iceman]

23 minutes ago, Newman said:

I've actually gotta agree with @LVLion77here. If we take a look at the NWS official forecast from yesterday morning, many many places busted significantly low on totals. I don't have their map right before the storm when they lowered totals, but I know even then they were too high in a lot of places west of 476.

Based on this map: 24" in Mount Pocono? Last I saw they had 4". 15" in Reading? More like 4". Fleetwood was under a warning for 7-14" and we got 5. ChescoWX was in the 18-24" contour and he got 9-10". Even 20" in Philly center city will be too high. Overall Jersey did well, and they nailed the local max along the Jersey coast.

None of this is to discredit the NWS of course, I'm not sure what else they could've done with the data on their hands yesterday morning. I know they'll go back and evaluate what went wrong and what they could've done better. I think there was obviously too much lean on the western NAM/HRRR/FV3 outliers. But the RGEM was ridiculously low on the far eastern side. If you're on this forum, you knew yesterday morning things were shifting back east and that totals would be significantly less so right then your expectations should've been with a modest plowable snow. If I'm the general public in Allentown and I looked at this map yesterday and planned for 15"? Well then yeah, I'd call it a bust. I think the NWS just went too high too soon and then played catch up last second.

Again that is a too Lehigh valley centric view. They do not consist of 3/4 the cwa. Everyone on the line below is going to verify easily.

[ChescoWx]

The total storm accumulation here in East Nantmeal was 10.0". This is the 2nd largest snowfall of the season behind only the 12.8" that fell back on January 25th. We have now recorded 47.4" of snow for the season here in East Nantmeal Twp. This is the snowiest winter since 2020-21 and the 6th snowiest winter since I began records in EN back in 2003. See the rankings below.

[NorthWestNJ]

Only about 5" here in Northern Warren County NJ. 

[Hurricane Agnes]

The storm has about wrapped up here now as of ~11 am with some flurries and snow blowing off of roofs (although I won't count out any sudden back-building bursts).  The sun was briefly trying to shine through the clouds too.

I measured another 1.5" on the cleared board so that plus the 8 am 13.5" would make it 15" here in what is visible of MBY.   We're talking knee-height snow to wade through and definitely a lot more than the last storm here.

Currently a breezy, overcast (but with sun trying to shine through) 31 with dp 31, along with some occasional flurries.

[Heisy]

Feasterville/Bensalem heads in here? What do you think we got. I’m guessing 14-15”

[The Iceman]

Calling it at 21.8” as we taper to flurries. Not quite 2 feet @LowerBucksWx. Did you guys get there in lower makefield? My brother on river road said he had 21”.

 

[RedSky]

10.30" total

Only thing preventing my anger is seeing the totals not far to my north and west. I lucked out big time.

 

[LowerBucksWx]

8 minutes ago, The Iceman said:

Calling it at 21.8” as we taper to flurries. Not quite 2 feet @LowerBucksWx. Did you guys get there in lower makefield. My brother on river road said he had 21”.

 

Yeah almost identical.  I'm right on the township line with Langhorne and they officially reported 22" there.

[RedSky]

26 minutes ago, Heisy said:

Feasterville/Bensalem heads in here? What do you think we got. I’m guessing 14-15”

Has to be more then that

 

[Kevin Reilly]

2 hours ago, ChescoWx said:

Hey Kevin. My brother has a place a couple blocks from me they briefly lost power. I can tell by the below view of my driveway down there that we did not get any flooding. It would have washed the street clean of snow. I asked him to get me a measurement this morning. 

Sounds good thanks for that update Paul.