Near-zero visibility and multiple accidents reported on I-80 during extreme blizzard in New Jersey
Multiple accidents and stranded vehicles were reported along Interstate 80 in northern New Jersey late on February 22 and into February 23 as a powerful Nor’easter brought blizzard conditions to the region. Authorities closed sections of the highway near Paterson while crews worked to remove vehicles and clear snow drifts amid winds exceeding 80 km/h (50 mph).
A major Nor’easter impacted the northeastern United States from late February 22 into February 23, bringing extreme blizzard conditions to northern New Jersey.
The National Weather Service in Mount Holly issued a Blizzard Warning for Passaic, Bergen, and Morris Counties effective until 18:00 EST (23:00 UTC) February 23, as snowfall rates of 5–7 cm (2–3 inches) per hour combined with winds gusting up to 110 km/h (70 mph) to produce whiteout conditions and deep drifting.
According to the New Jersey State Police, multiple multi-vehicle collisions occurred on Interstate 80 near Paterson and along I-287 toward Parsippany, prompting temporary closures for recovery and snow-removal operations.
Visibility along the corridor frequently dropped below 200 m (650 feet), making driving conditions nearly impossible.
NJ Transit suspended bus service across northern New Jersey, and train lines on the Main/Bergen corridor experienced delays due to snow accumulation and track obstructions.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey reported reduced operations at Newark Liberty International Airport, where strong crosswinds and low visibility forced flight cancellations.
As of 06:24 EST (11:24 UTC), more than 116 200 customers were without power across New Jersey, with most of them in Ocean (40 552) and Monmouth (24 761) counties.
At 03:22 EST (08:22 UTC) on February 23, the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center noted that satellite imagery showed the storm taking on a “classic comma-head” shape as it intensified off the Delaware–New Jersey coastline.
Forecast guidance indicated that the low would accelerate toward southern New England by Tuesday morning, leaving behind 30–60 cm (12–24 inches) of snow across parts of northern New Jersey and southern New York.
Local emergency management offices opened warming shelters in Passaic County as temperatures remained around −6°C (21°F). Authorities warned that high winds would continue to cause drifting snow and occasional whiteouts even after snowfall diminishes later on February 23.
References:
1 Short Range Forecast Discussion – NWS/WPC – Issued at 03:22 EST on February 23, 2026
Featured image credit: Live Storms Media (stillshot)
I'm a dedicated researcher, journalist, and editor at The Watchers. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, I specialize in hard science news, focusing on extreme weather, seismic and volcanic activity, space weather, and astronomy, including near-Earth objects and planetary defense strategies. You can reach me at teo /at/ watchers.news.
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