Septa: New Jersey Extends Mandatory Travel Restriction as Philadelphia Region Faces Rare Blizzard Warning
A powerful nor'easter has shifted rain to snow across the Philadelphia region, triggering emergency actions and widespread service disruptions; septa status is unclear in the provided context. Officials extended a New Jersey mandatory travel restriction that began at 9 p. m. on Sunday, February 22, 2026, and will remain in effect until 12: 00 p. m. on Monday, February 23, 2026, because heavy snowfall, blizzard-like conditions and strong winds continue to make travel dangerous.
New Jersey Office of Emergency Management extends travel restriction
The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management, operating under the Division of the New Jersey State Police, lengthened the mandatory restriction that bars all non-exempt vehicles from state, county, municipal and interstate roadways during the period specified. The New Jersey Turnpike is expressly exempt from the restriction. Violators may face penalties under state law. Roadway crews have been dispatched and are working to clear roadways and ensure public safety during the restriction.
The travel ban lists specific exemptions: emergency and public safety vehicles and personnel; public transportation vehicles and personnel; government officials conducting official business; healthcare workers and urgent medical travel; personnel supporting emergency shelter operations and human services facilities; and delivery of critical medical supplies and services to healthcare facilities.
Blizzard warning keeps Philadelphia snow emergency in effect
Rain shifted to snow early Sunday evening, and a rare blizzard warning remains in place as forecasters expect more than a foot of snow in and around Philadelphia. Snow began early Sunday evening and is expected to continue through Monday, with forecasts diverging over timing: some guidance holds the precipitation through Monday morning while other projections extend it into Monday afternoon. The heaviest snowfall is forecast overnight into the morning.
Banding of heavy snow has been observed moving across the region, and meteorologist Nick Guzzo of the National Weather Service in Mount Holly described the banding pattern as narrow corridors capable of producing quick accumulations. By nightfall some totals of 1 to 2 inches were reported in the Philadelphia area and at the Shore, and forecasters warned that snowfall rates of up to two inches an hour were possible in the heaviest bands. Gusty winds have contributed to blizzard-like conditions along the coast and inland, increasing the risk of downed tree branches and isolated power outages.
DoorDash suspension and Amtrak Keystone cancellations
Private and public services adjusted operations in response to the storm. DoorDash suspended deliveries in Philadelphia and New Jersey, ending operations at 9 p. m. Sunday and pausing service until at least 12 p. m. Monday, contingent on conditions; company spokesperson Julian Crowley said the suspension was intended to keep the community safe and that operations will resume when the storm passes. Amtrak halted its Keystone Service between Harrisburg and Philadelphia until at least noon Monday, and at least 12 trains were canceled as of Sunday night. Amtrak indicated that Pennsylvanian trains traveling between New York City and Pittsburgh are expected to run on a normal schedule Monday.
Power outages, Atlantic City Expressway crash and utility impacts
Energy providers showed tangible impacts from the storm: outage maps from Jersey Central Power & Light and Atlantic City Electric indicated at least 15, 000 customers without power in Southern and Central New Jersey around 8 p. m. Sunday. Officials warned that strong winds could bring down tree branches and lead to further isolated outages as the storm continues to produce heavy, wind-driven snow.
On roadways, a television reporter, Ted Greenberg, encountered a tractor-trailer crash just east of exit two on the Atlantic City Expressway; it was not immediately clear whether anyone was injured. The combination of heavy bands of snow and strong gusts has made driving dangerous, and authorities urged residents to avoid non-essential travel while crews work to clear roads.
Septa status unclear in the provided context
The available information does not include details about Septa operations during the storm; septa status is unclear in the provided context. Transit riders should expect that public transportation is one of the categories exempted from New Jersey's travel restriction, but any operational decisions for regional transit agencies are not described in the material provided.
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania site shows Service unavailable
An online Commonwealth of Pennsylvania page returned the message "Service unavailable, " indicating at least one state website was not accessible as the storm unfolded. The timing or scope of that accessibility issue is unclear in the provided context.
What makes this notable is the clustering of official actions and service interruptions around a single, fast-moving storm: the combination of heavy snowfall, possible two-inch-per-hour rates, and strong winds prompted mandatory travel limits, school shifts to virtual learning, mass service suspensions and significant outages in a short window that began at 9 p. m. Sunday and extends into Monday midday.
