A historic nor'easter has buried New Jersey under up to two feet of snow, triggering a statewide State of Emergency, a mandatory NJ travel ban extended through noon Monday, full suspension of NJ Transit service, and more than 100,000 power outages across all 21 counties. This is being called the "Blizzard of '26."

NJ Travel Ban and State of Emergency — What You Need to Know RIGHT NOW

The mandatory travel restriction, which began at 9:00 PM ET on Sunday, February 22, 2026, has been extended and will now remain in effect until 12:00 noon ET on Monday, February 23, 2026. All non-exempt vehicles are prohibited from operating on state, county, municipal, and interstate roadways during this period.

The New Jersey Turnpike is exempt from the restriction. Violators may face penalties under state law.

Who is exempt from the NJ travel ban: Emergency and public safety vehicles, public works and snow removal crews, public transportation employees, government officials on official business, utility workers, healthcare workers, and individuals seeking urgent medical care.

Gov. Sherrill told reporters: "We extended the travel ban until noon after our early morning brief really indicated that roads are not safe. We're hearing whiteout conditions." She added: "We're also seeing wind, really big wind gusts, which cause whiteout conditions on the road."

New Jersey remains in a State of Emergency in all 21 counties.

New Jersey Snowfall Totals by County (February 23, 2026)

Totals via National Weather Service and North Jersey Weather Observers — snow still falling in some areas as of publication.

Bergen County

Essex / Hudson Counties

Monmouth / Middlesex Counties

Atlantic County

Burlington / Ocean Counties

Mercer County

NJ Power Outages: JCPL and Atlantic City Electric

Most power outages in the tri-state area are concentrated in New Jersey, with 57,067 customers out of service reported on the Jersey Central Power and Light (JCPL) outage map at one point Monday morning.

Gov. Sherrill stated: "We have over 5,000 public utilities workers that the utility companies have called in. They've surged their own workers to be on alert today and have brought in mutual aid from other states. We've had over 200,000 power outages. About half of them have been restored." As of mid-morning Monday, more than 100,000 customers remain without power statewide. Residents with JCPL or Atlantic City Electric outages should report them via their respective utility apps or websites and avoid downed power lines.

NJ Transit: All Service Suspended

NJ Transit has suspended bus, light rail, and Access Link service. Train service has also been halted. The agency will assess the storm's impact before resuming operations. No return-to-service timeline has been announced. Check njtransit.com for updates before attempting travel.

What to Expect Next

Snow intensity will gradually weaken late morning into midday Monday, with the final flakes wrapping up in New Jersey by 2:00–3:00 PM ET. After sunset, winds will finally fall below damaging levels, but temperatures will drop below freezing, causing any untreated roads, sidewalks, or driveways to refreeze overnight. Wind chills will fall into the single digits and low teens.

Tuesday brings cold but brighter weather. Another round of light snow is possible early Wednesday morning, but meteorologists stress it will be minor compared to this system.

Residents are urged to remain home, stay off back roads even after the travel ban lifts at noon ET, and check ready.nj.gov for the latest official updates.