Meteorologists WxmanFranz and NbergWX reported escalating snow forecasts for the Northeast blizzard, with New Jersey now facing a 1:10 chance of up to 3 feet of snow and HRRR model projections of 20-40 inches across New Jersey, New York City, parts of Connecticut, and eastern Massachusetts, in X posts between 8:45 PM and 9:15 PM UTC on February 21, 2026, during this 29-minute window. NbergWX described the storm as a historic, hurricane-like blizzard with 2013 blizzard vibes but more wind, noting the HRRR model runs only through 1 PM Monday yet shows massive accumulations with hours of snow remaining, according to the X post at https://x.com/NbergWX/status/2025297868437774808. This builds on the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron's first of three Hurricane Hunters missions launched at 7:15-7:45 PM UTC to gather data on the system. WxmanFranz highlighted the increased odds for 3 feet in New Jersey, as stated in an X post at https://x.com/WxmanFranz/status/2025291496857944150, aligning with prior model blends showing nearly 30 inches possible in New York City and Blizzard Warnings expanded from Boston to southern Delaware. These updates follow National Weather Service forecasts of 13-18 inches for New York City from Sunday 6:00 AM to Monday 6:00 PM UTC, with the weekend storm system expected to rival the city's strongest recorded storms.
