Alex Calamia

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Feb 22, 2026, 10:45 AM

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Updated

A powerful nor'easter will rapidly intensify off the coast tonight, undergoing bombogenesis, a pressure drop of 24 mb in 24 hours or less. This intensification is so rapid, storms like this are often called bombcyclones.

Bursts of snow tonight

Up to 16" snow is expected for much of the tri-state area, the 16 to 24" range reflects an area that will see isolated snow bursts that are capable of 24" of snowfall and perhaps isolated totals even higher than this.

Snow bursts develop around and after midnight and will be capable of 2-4" snowfall rates per hour for parts of the Jersey Shore, Long Island, Connecticut, and parts of the Hudson Valley. The bursts will be so intense; it can even produce thunder and lightning.

What Is Thundersnow?

Thundersnow is essentially a winter thunderstorm. They contain intense precipitation and lightning just like in the summertime.

However, unlike ordinary snowfall thundersnow produces intense snowfall bursts. The thunder is often muted because falling snow absorbs sound, meaning it may only be heard within a few miles of the lightning strike.

Why This Blizzard Could Produce Thundersnow

This historic Nor’easter will intensify from about 1000 mb this morning to 972 mb by Monday afternoon. Storms like this can generate the atmospheric instability needed for lightning inside snow clouds. Thundersnow typically forms when:

• Warm, moist air rises rapidly into colder air aloft

• Strong upward motion creates convective snow bands

• Abundant moisture feeds heavy precipitation

What Thundersnow Means for Snowfall Totals

If thundersnow develops during this storm, it usually signals the most intense snow bands. Snow can accumulate very quickly in these areas, sometimes producing near-whiteout conditions within minutes.

While thundersnow is not guaranteed, intense bursts of snow are expected with widespread 2ft totals expected.