As winter’s grip tightens across the Northeast, residents from South Jersey to Upstate New York find themselves bracing for yet another round of snowstorms—only this time, the challenges are mounting on multiple fronts. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a flurry of warnings and advisories, forecasting significant snowfall, hazardous conditions, and even supply shortages that have left some communities scrambling to prepare.
On February 21, 2026, the mood in South Jersey was a mixture of resignation and urgency. After a series of recent storms, local hardware stores found themselves struggling to keep up with demand for winter essentials. Eric Davies of Cherry Hill summed up the collective fatigue: "Very sick of it, ready for spring, that first nice day of being able to open the windows and get some fresh air in the house," he told reporters, echoing a sentiment shared by many who have spent the past weeks shoveling sidewalks and navigating icy roads.
But for those hoping to stock up before the next storm, time was running out. At Westmont Ace Hardware in Haddon Township, demand for rock salt and ice melt surged as the forecast worsened. Owner Bill Getzinger observed, "People are starting to panic a little bit. The people that got shut out during the last storm, making sure they have their shovel, they have their salt, and are ready to go." By Friday night, the store was completely sold out of ice melt, and customers who waited too long found only empty pallets.
The situation was even more dire at Cartun Hardware in Camden, where owner David Garrison described an unprecedented season. "Early January, we got notice that 22 of the 25 different brands of salt were out for the season. Right now, there's no calcium, no blends, no pet safe available from the suppliers," Garrison explained. The numbers tell the story: "This year we've gone through about 19 tons of rock salt. Last year we went through about 6 tons, and the year prior to that we sold two bags." Even shipments scheduled for the previous week failed to arrive. The shortage has forced customers to improvise, with garden shovels—normally a springtime staple—flying off the shelves as residents look for any tool to break through the ice and snow. "We've sold out of our entire spring order of garden shovels in order to get through the ice and bricks that are out there," Garrison noted.
While South Jersey wrestled with supply woes, meteorologists were warning of much more than just an inconvenience. On February 20, the NWS issued a winter storm watch for southern Connecticut, effective from Sunday morning through Monday afternoon. The forecast called for 6 to 10 inches of heavy, wet snow and wind gusts reaching up to 40 mph. "The combination of gusty winds and heavy wet snow could bring down tree branches," officials cautioned, highlighting the potential for power outages and dangerous road conditions. The storm was expected to rapidly intensify off the mid-Atlantic coast, meeting the criteria for a so-called "bomb cyclone"—a term that, while dramatic, simply means a storm that strengthens very quickly.
Travelers in southern Connecticut were advised to stay off the roads, especially during the Monday morning and evening commutes, when the heaviest snow was expected to fall. Blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility, and the NWS warned that "areas of blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility on the roadways during the storm." The threat didn’t end with snow: a coastal flood watch was issued for southern New Haven and Fairfield counties, with officials warning of potential flooding up to 2.5 feet in low-lying areas. "This would result in numerous road closures and cause widespread flooding of low-lying property, including parking lots, parks, lawns and homes/businesses with basements near the waterfront," the NWS said.
Further inland, the Lehigh Valley prepared for what could be a "significant winter storm." The NWS issued a winter storm watch from 6 a.m. Sunday through 6 p.m. Monday, with forecasts suggesting 6 to 8 inches of snow and a 35% chance of a foot or more in Allentown. The storm’s path remained uncertain as of Friday evening, with forecasters weighing two main scenarios: if the system tracked closer to the coast and intensified into a nor’easter, the impacts could be severe, bringing heavy, rapidly falling snow and high winds. If the storm moved further out to sea, snowfall would be lighter, and some areas might even see rain before the snow began in earnest. "While the uncertainty remains high, the outcome may become more in the middle with a deepening storm offshore but not as quick as the more robust guidance," the NWS noted in its forecast discussion.
Regardless of the exact track, the region faced the prospect of hazardous travel, especially as snow was expected to start as early as Sunday morning, intensifying through Sunday night and tapering off by Monday afternoon. Wind gusts up to 35 mph, particularly in higher elevations like the Poconos, raised concerns about downed trees and power outages. After the storm, a blast of colder air was expected to settle in, keeping temperatures in the 30s through Tuesday before a gradual warm-up later in the week.
Upstate New York, meanwhile, was already in the thick of it. On February 20, the NWS issued multiple winter storm warnings and advisories for regions across the state, with the most severe conditions forecast for the North Country. St. Lawrence, Clinton, Franklin, and Essex counties faced a winter storm warning through 10 a.m. Saturday, with total snow accumulations between 5 and 10 inches and snowfall rates of up to 2 inches per hour. The weight of the snow raised the risk of isolated power outages, while mixed precipitation—including sleet and freezing rain—complicated matters elsewhere. Central New York counties like Oswego, Jefferson, and Lewis were under a winter weather advisory, expecting 3 to 5 inches of snow on the Tug Hill Plateau and lighter amounts elsewhere, along with a thin coating of ice.
Other regions, from Northern Warren to Dutchess counties, faced a patchwork of advisories, with mixed precipitation and accumulations ranging from 1 to 8 inches, depending on location. The NWS warned that "snowfall rates could range between 0.5 inches to 1 inch per hour into Friday night," and that even light ice accumulations could make travel treacherous.
For many, the latest round of storms is just the latest chapter in what has been an unusually harsh winter. Supply chain issues, shifting storm tracks, and the sheer volume of snow have combined to test the resilience of residents, businesses, and local governments alike. Whether it’s the empty shelves in a Camden hardware store or the anxious wait for the next weather update in the Lehigh Valley, one thing is clear: winter isn’t done with the Northeast yet.
As communities dig out and brace for what’s next, the hope for that first warm day of spring feels more urgent than ever.