claude-opus-5-5 Analysis · Feb 23, 2026
An Extreme-severity Blizzard Warning is in effect until 6 PM EST, with heavy snow at 1 to 3+ inches per hour, 9 to 13 inches of new accumulation, and gusts to 45 mph making travel very difficult to impossible, especially this morning. Snow tapers by early afternoon, but blowing snow, drifting, and refreezing after sunset keep roads hazardous into the night.
- 01 Blizzard Warning (Extreme severity) until 6:00 PM EST; NWS advises travel for emergencies only. The alert's listed 'to' time looks like a data error, but the headline and text state it runs until 6 PM.
- 02 Heavy snow with areas of blowing snow from 6 AM to 11 AM, with precipitation chances of 80-96% and snowfall rates that may exceed 2 inches per hour.
- 03 New snow accumulation of 9 to 13 inches is possible, with significant drifting; heavy, wet snow may bring down trees and power lines.
- 04 North winds of 25-29 mph in the morning, gusting to 45 mph, sharply reduce visibility in blowing snow and create crosswind risk, especially for high-profile vehicles.
- 05 Areas of blowing snow continue all day and evening through about 11 PM, although winds ease to 13-17 mph after 6 PM.
- 06 Temperatures reach 32-34°F from 12 PM to 6 PM, then fall to 28-31°F after 7 PM, so slushy roads are likely to refreeze into ice this evening.
- 07 No visibility values are provided, so the visibility impact is inferred from the blowing snow forecasts and the alert text.
Avoid driving today unless it is an emergency, especially from 6 AM to 12 PM when heavy snow and blizzard conditions peak. If you must drive in the morning, the least-bad window is late morning to early afternoon, around 12 PM to 2 PM, when snow chances drop to 40-53% and temperatures near freezing. In the evening, wait until after the warning expires and aim for roughly 7 PM to 9 PM, when winds ease to about 15 mph and snow chances are 5% or less. Watch for black ice from refreezing and for drifts, and expect roads to still be snow-covered. Carry a winter survival kit, stay with your vehicle if stranded, and call 511 for road conditions before leaving.