'Some of the worst conditions we've seen so far': Whiteout in New England from nor'easter
FOX Weather's Robert Ray provides an update on the conditions in Gloucester, MA, as they continue to deteriorate.
BOSTON -- A powerful nor'easter brought blizzard conditions to a large swath of the Northeast Saturday, canceling thousands of flights and leaving over 100,000 without power as temperatures were set to plunge in the storm's wake.
The snow began late Friday night as the storm rapidly intensified off the mid-Atlantic coast, reaching official "bomb cyclone" status by undergoing a central pressure drop of 35 millibars in 24 hours.
MORE: What is a Bomb Cyclone?
By Saturday morning, blizzard conditions blasted several states in the Northeast, including Boston, Providence, Rhode Island, New Jersey and Long Island.
Boston officially meets blizzard criteria
Boston has officially met blizzard criteria with a visibility of less than 1/4 mile and wind gusts higher than 35 mph for 3 consecutive hours, according to the National Weather Service.
Widespread snow totals of 12-30 inches were observed along the New Jersey shores, across Long Island and into Rhode Island, Connecticut and eastern Massachusetts.
Watch: Bomb cyclone slams the East Coast
From the mid-Atlantic to Maine, more than 50 million Americans are seeing impacts from this historic nor'easter.
Some of the highest snow totals were recorded in Massachusetts. Stoughton, Sharon and Quincy ranked among the highest with their snow totals by seeing 30 inches of snow.
Some of the top snow totals from the Blizzard of 2022. (FOX Weather)
On New York's Long Island, Islip had the highest snow report at 24.7 inches as of 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The 23.2 inches that fell after midnight makes Saturday their second-snowiest calendar day in their history, and overall it's the fourth-highest two-day total on record.
MORE: Why snowfall rate is important to understanding winter weather
Bridgewater, Massachusetts, also checked in with two feet of snow.
For Boston, it was the city's first blizzard warning in four years and the first snow emergency of the year. Logan Airport reported a storm total of 23.8 inches as of Saturday evening. The NWS said because 23.6 inches fell during a 24-hour period, the day tied a 2008 record for the snowiest day in the city's history.
MORE: What makes a storm a nor’easter?
The New York City area had about 8-12 inches of snow while about 5-9 inches fell in the Philadelphia area. But light snow spread south into North Carolina and even into Georgia.
FOX Weather audience wants you to see the nor'easter outside their home
A potentially historic nor'easter "bombed out" off the East Coast on Saturday as it pounded parts of the Northeast with heavy snow, high winds and blizzard conditions. Make sure to follow FOX Weather on social media for more videos, photos and coverage of the nor'easter. Don't forget to tag us in your weather photos or use #FOXWeather.
In addition to the snow, blistering wind speeds raked the coastlines with a gust of 87 mph registered in Wellfleet, Massachusetts on Cape Cod, 83 mph in Nantucket and 78 mph in Provincetown.
Near-hurricane-force winds rip across Long Island during blockbuster nor'easter
Near-hurricane-force winds rip across Long Island during blockbuster nor'easter.
More than 135,000 people were without power in Massachusetts during the storm's peak, including much of Nantucket.
Waves crash over oceanfront homes during a noreaster in Scituate, Massachusetts, on January 29, 2022. (JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP / Getty Images)
City officials warned that power could be out for as many as two days due to continued challenging weather conditions. They had opened a warming shelter at Nantucket High School as temperatures were set to drop into the teens.
Nantucket resident on the impacts of the winter storm
Jason Graziadei, editor of the
Coastal flooding was another issue in Nantucket, with storm surge flooding the downtown areas along Easy Street, according to Nantucket police.
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And stormy waves crashed into windows at the Pilgrim Sands Hotel in Plymouth, Massachusetts, during high tide.
Waves crash against Massachusetts hotel during blockbuster nor'easter
Waves crashed against the windows of the Pilgrim Sands Hotel in Plymouth, Massachusetts, on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, during high tide.
Thousands of Flights Canceled
Air travel essentially ground to a halt in the northeast with over 3,600 flights canceled Saturday, including Newark, New York's JFK and LaGuardia, and Boston's Logan airport.
Another 1,000 flights were already canceled for Sunday.
Blockbuster nor'easter buries Gloucester, MA in snow
Gloucester, MA is getting buried in snow as this major nor'easter moves through the northeast.
Rhode Island bans traffic on state highways
Rhode Island issued a travel ban Saturday, ordering all motor vehicle traffic off state highways during the storm.
Officials also shut down all bridges in the state to traffic.
MORE: The sound of silence: Why it’s quieter after a snowstorm
Drier but colder weather in the storm's wake
Residents buried under the snow will get a dry day with some sunshine Sunday to begin clean-up efforts, but icy cold conditions will continue as arctic air settles along the Eastern Seaboard.
Residents help push a stuck car during a blizzard in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022. A powerful winter storm is whipping the U.S. Northeast with high winds, crashing surf, and quickly piling up snow on the country's major transportation routes, while canceling flights and leaving thousands without power. Photographer: Allison Dinner/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 29: A person gets in a yellow cab on the Upper West Side on January 29, 2022 in New York City. A powerful nor’easter brought blinding blizzard conditions with high winds causing widespread power outages to much of the Mid-Atlantic and New England coast. There was a State of Emergency declared for New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 29: Hundreds of people participate in a large snow ball fight in Washington Square Park on January 29, 2022 in New York City. A powerful nor’easter brought blinding blizzard conditions with high winds causing widespread power outages to much of the Mid-Atlantic and New England coast. There was a State of Emergency declared for New York City. (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 29: A worker clears snow with a blower during a Nor'easter storm on January 29, 2022 in New York City. The first nor’easter of 2022 blanketed New York City with snow and high winds. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 29: Two women walk past Bryant Park during a Nor'easter storm on January 29, 2022 in New York City. The first nor’easter of 2022 blanketed New York City with snow and high winds. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 29: People stand in front of a snow-covered statue in Times Square during a Nor'easter storm on January 29, 2022 in New York City. The first Nor’easter of 2022 blanketed New York City with snow and high winds. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 29: Chippi, 22, from Senegal screams while sitting on someone’s shoulder shirtless participating in a large snow ball fight in Washington Square Park on January 29, 2022 in New York City. A powerful nor’easter brought blinding blizzard conditions with high winds causing widespread power outages to much of the Mid-Atlantic and New England coast. There was a State of Emergency declared for New York City. (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
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TAPPAN, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - 2022/01/29: A man seen snow shoveling a driveway. Tappan got blanketed in snow as Winter Storm Kenan rolled up a powerful nor'easter, blasting parts of the East Coast with heavy snow and strong winds, including blizzard conditions. (Photo by Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 29: People walk through lower Manhattan in the pre-dawn hours as a winter storm brings heavy snow, freezing temperatures and blowing winds to the area on January 29, 2022 in New York City . With a state of emergency called in New York and New Jersey, much of the Northeast is expected to receive over a foot of snow during the day on Saturday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 29: Traffic moves through lower Manhattan in the pre-dawn hours as a winter storm brings heavy snow, freezing temperatures and blowing winds to the area on January 29, 2022 in New York City. A powerful nor’easter brought blinding blizzard conditions with high winds causing widespread power outages to much of the Mid-Atlantic and New England coast. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 29: People stand in the middle of 7th Avenue in Times Square during a snowstorm on January 29, 2022, in New York City. A powerful nor’easter brought blinding blizzard conditions with high winds causing widespread power outages to much of the Mid-Atlantic and New England coast. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)
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SOMERVILLE, MA - JANUARY 29: People shovel outside of the Davis Square MBTA station during a snowstorm on January 29, 2022 in Somerville, Massachusetts. A powerful noreaster brought blinding blizzard conditions with high winds causing widespread power outages to much of the Mid-Atlantic and New England coast. The storm is predicted to drop over 2 feet of snow in some areas.(Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
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CAMBRIDGE, MA - JANUARY 29: A general view of Harvard Square during a snowstorm on January 29, 2022 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. A powerful noreaster brought blinding blizzard conditions with high winds causing widespread power outages to much of the Mid-Atlantic and New England coast. The storm is predicted to drop over 2 feet of snow in some areas. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
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CAMBRIDGE, MA - JANUARY 29: A man takes pictures of the snow on campus at Harvard University during a snowstorm on January 29, 2022 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. A powerful noreaster brought blinding blizzard conditions with high winds causing widespread power outages to much of the Mid-Atlantic and New England coast. The storm is predicted to drop over 2 feet of snow in some areas. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
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A car is towed off the side of the road after veering off during a snow storm in Braintree, Massachusetts on January 29, 2022. - A powerful winter storm packing heavy snow and high winds pummeled the US East Coast Saturday, forcing the cancellation of thousands of flights as severe weather alerts were sounded across a region of around 70 million people. (Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO / AFP) (Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)
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Waves crash over oceanfront homes during a noreaster in Scituate, Massachusetts, on January 29, 2022. - Blinding snow whipped up by near-hurricane force winds pummeled the eastern United States on January 29, as one of the strongest winter storms in years triggered severe weather alerts, transport chaos and power outages across a region of some 70 million people. (Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO / AFP) (Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)
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Waves crash over oceanfront homes during a noreaster in Scituate, Massachusetts on January 29, 2022. - Blinding snow whipped up by near-hurricane force winds pummeled the eastern United States on January 29, as one of the strongest winter storms in years triggered severe weather alerts, transport chaos and power outages across a region of some 70 million people. (Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO / AFP) (Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)
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SETAUKET, NY - JANUARY 29: A supermarket parking on Rt. 25A lot is plowed during a major snowstorm on January 29, 2022 in Setauket, New York. A powerful nor’easter brought blinding blizzard conditions with high winds causing widespread power outages to much of the Mid-Atlantic and New England coast. (Photo by Andrew Theodorakis/Getty Images)
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CAMBRIDGE, MA - JANUARY 29: People clear the sidewalk by the Harvard MBTA stop in Harvard Square during a snowstorm on January 29, 2022 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. A powerful noreaster brought blinding blizzard conditions with high winds causing widespread power outages to much of the Mid-Atlantic and New England coast. The storm is predicted to drop over 2 feet of snow in some areas. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
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SOMERVILLE, MA - JANUARY 29: People shovel outside of the Davis Square MBTA station during a snowstorm on January 29, 2022 in Somerville, Massachusetts. A powerful noreaster brought blinding blizzard conditions with high winds causing widespread power outages to much of the Mid-Atlantic and New England coast. The storm is predicted to drop over 2 feet of snow in some areas.(Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
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Scituate, MA - January 29: A truck passes through flooded Jericho Road on the Scituate waterfront in Scituate, MA on Jan. 29, 2022. A large storm bears down on New England, bringing one to two feet of snow, along with high winds, cold temperatures in one of the largest NorEasters in recent years. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
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Lows are expected to drop into the single digits around Boston on Saturday and Sunday nights, with highs Sunday in the 20s.
But cold air will slide south into Florida with hard freeze warnings in effect for much of the state Sunday morning.
Lows in Jacksonville will drop into the mid 20s with a low of 31 predicted in Orlando, and Miami may drop below 40 degrees for the first time in 11 years.
Warmer air returns to the east for the middle of the week, with highs in the northeast reaching the mid-40s by Thursday.