Hey everyone,

Now that the snow has settled and service is back to normal, I’ve compiled a wrap-up of the events from the megathread. Below is a timeline of the service changes, a summary of the meteorological event, and a breakdown of how long it took for each agency to get back on track.

❄️ Storm Summary: The Blizzard of Feb ’26

On February 22–23, 2026, a severe nor’easter rapidly intensified into a “bomb cyclone” off the Mid-Atlantic coast, dropping near-record snowfall across the New York metropolitan area and the surrounding tri-state area. The coastal low bottomed out at approximately 970 mb, driving heavy snow banding and producing hurricane-force wind gusts of up to 60–85 mph.

Key Impacts:

• Snowfall: Islip, NY recorded a record setting 31.0 inches. Newark hit 27.1″, and Central Park saw 19.7″, LaGuardia Airport at 22.5″, JFK Airport sitting at 20.5″.
• Wind: Blizzard wind conditions were recorded across Long Island, NYC Metro, and parts of costal New Jersey / Connecticut. Montauk Point on Long Island recorded a wind gust of 84 mph, JFK airport’s highest wind gust was 62 mph during the storm.
• Drifting Snow: Due to the wind & high snow totals, large snowdrifts were reported. With the LIRR reporting snowdrifts of up to 8 feet on Long Island across key infrastructure.
• Operations: In a shift from previous strategies (like the 2021 “Underground Only” mode), the MTA kept the majority of the above ground subway system running during the storm, though ridership plummeted to ~22% (under 1M riders) on Monday.
• Infrastructure: Diesel locomotive based service on Metro North proved crucial in avoiding third-rail/catenary power issues during the storm and allowed service to remain operational. Additional service changes were made to reduce switching on the NYC Subway such as the round robin service in the Rockaways, and Metro North reducing service on branches or other key switching points.

Blizzard snowfall totals sourced from NWS storm reports and plotted by Tomer Burg (@burgwx)

📝 Key Takeaways

• Underground Service Mode Changes: The MTA appears to have mode on from Underground Service Mode for the NYC subway during heavy snowfall events. Instead, service on specific lines is suspended as needed and may operate only underground on those impacted areas. This is a drastic policy shift compared to prior winter storms.
  • PATH has adopted a form of underground service mode by only suspending Newark to Journal Square service during the blizzard (temporarily cut back to Grove Street during the peak of the storm). In prior winter storms, PATH was fully suspended in all sections.
• Diesel vs. Electric: The MTA board noted that using diesel power helped avoid power loss issues on third rail/catenary lines during the heavy snow.
• Switch Management: Less switch throwing on Metro North allowed for smoother operations during the storm, though it required more manpower to clear them afterward. NYC Subway implemented the round robin service in the Rockaways, which created a shuttle train going from the Rockaways to Euclid Avenue. This reduced potential delays and impacts on the A train during the storm as well as reduced the number of switch moves required to run service.
• Bus Service Improvement: DSNY prioritized bus routes / bus stops and helped to free any stuck buses. The MTA commended the collaboration with the city as a significant improvement to help keep busses running during the storm. While MTA buses ran generally well during storm, Staten Island faced the biggest issues with buses getting stuck in the higher snow totals and hilly terrain.
• We have updated our Winter Weather Wiki with learnings from this historic blizzard. You can read the changes here, suggestions are always welcome.

🕒 Timeline of Events

Friday, Feb 20

• Afternoon: Growing concerns for a large Nor’easter as weather models begin to converge on two primary solutions. One as a ‘costal scraper’ that hits part of costal New Jersey, Long Island, and eastern Mass with heavy snow, with NYC having moderate snow. The other solution was a farther west direct hit for NYC metro, Long Island, New Jersey, and Southern New England (GFS solution).
• 1:30 PM: Winter storm watches are issued for the tri-state area with an initial forecast estimate between 6 to 10 inches of snow and winds with gusts up to 40 mph for the NYC metro area.

Saturday, Feb 21

• Early Morning: National Weather Service (NYC & Mt. Holly NJ offices) briefing decks showed a rapidly strengthening coastal low, with costal flooding, 1–2 ft of snow and stronger winds across the NYC metro, Long Island, and Costal NJ. Blizzard warnings are issued for NYC metro, along the coast, and Long Island. Forecast snow totals are upgraded for NYC (now estimated at 15″), Long Island, and NJ during the afternoon/evening briefings. Costal flood warnings are also issued.
• Afternoon: MTA announces preliminary plans. Articulated buses pulled from service; chains equipped. LIRR/MNR announce weekend/hourly schedules for Monday. NJ governors office holds a preliminary press conference briefing, however no changes are announced.

Sunday, Feb 22

As the storm approached, the MTA proactively shifted multiple lines to local tracks to position trains and prepare the system for heavy snowfall.

• Morning: National Weather Service (NYC & Mt. Holly NJ offices) expands forecast area for heavy snow, increases the expected amounts (20″ for NYC), and expands blizzard warnings for the tri-state area.
• 12:30 PM: NYC declares State of Emergency. Public schools closed for Monday.
• 1:00 PM: Blizzard Warnings go into effect.
• Express to Local: A, D, N and Q trains began running local in parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Uptown 2, 3, 4, and 5 trains were also shifted to local tracks.
• 5:00 PM: Staten Island Ferry suspended.
• 5:30 PM: Snow begins sticking to roadways and surfaces in Manhattan (Union Square report), rapid snow accumulation begins.
  • L train shuttle buses in place for weekend construction began experiencing delays as road conditions deteriorated.
• 6:00 PM: NJ Transit Bus & Light Rail suspended.
• 8:30 PM: 3-5 inches of snow in Manhattan (Union Square report) on most surfaces/untreated roadways and sidewalks.
• 9:00 PM: NYC Travel Ban takes effect. NJ Transit Rail suspends all service.
• 9:25 PM: PATH suspends Newark ↔ Journal Square.
• ~11:00 PM: Rapid onset of strong winds and blizzard like conditions.

Monday, Feb 23 (The Height of the Storm)

This was the most severe period for the subway system. Due to heavy snow, high winds, and track level emergencies, the MTA implemented widespread suspensions and localized shutdowns.

• Subway Suspensions: The Staten Island Railway (SIR), C train, W train, and Z train were completely suspended.
• Partial Subway Suspensions:
  • B Train: Uptown service was completely suspended in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx before all B train service concluded for the evening.
  • N Train: Service was suspended on the elevated tracks between Queensboro Plaza and Astoria-Ditmars Blvd.
  • L Train: Service was suspended between Myrtle-Wyckoff Avs and Canarsie-Rockaway Pkwy.
  • A Train: Service was suspended between Euclid Av and Ozone Park-Lefferts Blvd.
  • H train (Rockaway Round Robin): Suspended in Brooklyn and Queens due to a total loss of power to the signaling system in the Rockaways.
  • Franklin Ave Shuttle (FS): Suspended after a downed tree blocked the tracks near Botanic Garden
  • Express Service Canceled: 7 express trains were suspended, and 6 express trains were forced to run local in the Bronx.
• System Wide Slowdown: “Severe delays” were officially declared across almost the entire system, including the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, D, F, G, J, M, N, Q, and R lines.
• 1:00 AM: LIRR fully suspends all service.
• 5:00 AM – 10:00 AM: Peak snowfall rates (2-3″/hr) and whiteout conditions.
• 9:00 AM: NYC Travel Ban lifted.
• Daytime: Subway operates with severe delays. Partial suspensions on C, B, J, and L lines, with other lines being temporarily suspended for snow clearing operations. Rockaway A train operates “Round Robin” shuttle.
• 3:00 PM: Snow has stopped falling in the NYC Metro area, winds remain blowing snow.
• 5:30pm: All airports are now open but nearly all flights canceled; runways and ramps being dug out. Airtrain remains suspended.
• 6:15 PM: LIRR announces limited restoration plans for Tuesday.

Tuesday, Feb 24 (The Recovery)

As the storm moved out, the MTA shifted into recovery mode. Above-ground lines slowly began to reopen, though many trains continued to run on local tracks to help clear snow.

• Service Restorations:
  • C Train: Resumed service between Euclid Av and 168 St.
  • H Train: Resumed modified service between Broad Channel and Rockaway Park-Beach 116 St.
  • A Train: Resumed service between Rockaway Blvd and Far Rockaway-Mott Av.
  • SIR: Partially restored, running hourly service between St. George and Huguenot.
  • Express Service Returns: B train express service resumed in Brooklyn, and D and N express service resumed between 36 St/59 St and Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr.
• Lingering Modifications: 7X express trains remained suspended. 6X express service temporarily resumed in the Bronx but ended early for the evening. Many lines (A, B, E, F) continued to run local system-wide to accommodate track clearing and train storage.
• 4:00 AM: LIRR restores limited service on 6 branches.
• Morning Rush: PATH fully restored. NJ Transit Rail resumes on President’s Day schedule (Midtown Direct diverted to Hoboken) on select branches. Many NYC subway lines remain running local and lingering severe delays, C train service remains suspended due the A running local.
  • LIRR: shorter 8-car consists and reduced frequencies create crush-loaded trains (Port Washington especially).
  • NJ Transit: ridership lighter than expected, likely due to poor performance in the late-January storm and lingering skepticism.
• Evening: Full weekday service confirmed for Wednesday.

Wednesday, Feb 25

By Wednesday, the majority of the storm-specific suspensions had been lifted, though the system battled a hangover of equipment issues.

• Residual Storm Recovery: The MTA maintained that it was still “recovering from the winter storm,” keeping some lines (like the Uptown 4, N, and D) on local tracks.
• Secondary Delays: The extreme cold and snow buildup led to a wave of mechanical problems. Debris on the tracks, frozen door mechanisms, and snow activating train emergency brakes caused severe lingering delays, heavily impacting the N, Q, R, W, G, B, and D lines throughout the day.
• 12:01 AM: LIRR resumes regular weekday service.
• Morning: Metro-North and NJ Transit resume regular weekday schedules. Minor equipment issues and delays lingering on the NYC subway.

📊 Time-to-Restoration Analysis

Here is a breakdown of how long the major systems were down or severely impacted.