So, Just How did Renewables Go in Winter Storm Hernando? By Chris Knight (Florida)
The Blizzard of 2026 (also called Winter Storm Hernando by some outlets) was a historic north easter that slammed the Northeast U.S. from February 22–24, 2026, delivering record-breaking snowfall, hurricane-force wind gusts, and widespread disruption. It was a classic bomb cyclone — rapidly intensifying with a central pressure drop of around 41 millibars in 24 hours — creating blizzard conditions from the mid-Atlantic through New England.
Key impacts included:
Providence, Rhode Island, shattered its all-time single-storm snowfall record with 37.9 inches at T.F. Green International Airport, surpassing the 1978 Blizzard's 28.6 inches (some unofficial reports hit 40+ inches nearby). This made it the heaviest snowstorm in the city's history and likely a state record.
New York City's Central Park accumulated 19.7 inches, ranking as the ninth-highest total in recorded history (and the biggest in over a decade).
Other areas saw 2–3+ feet: e.g., 31 inches in Islip (Long Island), 27+ inches in parts of New Jersey, and widespread 30–37-inch reports in southern New England.
Over 650,000 power outages at peak (some reports higher), thousands of flight cancellations (over 11,000 nationwide), school closures, travel paralysis, and at least 13 confirmed fatalities from storm-related causes (e.g., accidents, exposure).
This came amid an already brutal winter with prior major snow events, amplifying the strain on infrastructure, emergency services, and residents digging out yet again.
Renewables and Grid Reliability in Extreme Winter Events
Critics of renewables argue that over-reliance on wind and solar (variable renewables) exposes grids to failure when demand spikes during prolonged cold and low sun/wind conditions.
In the Blizzard of 2026 specifically, detailed real-time generation breakdowns aren't fully public yet (as of late February 2026), but patterns from similar Northeast events, and broader 2026 winter storms like Winter Storm Fern earlier in the season, provide context.
Power outages were significant (hundreds of thousands affected, especially in Massachusetts via utilities like Eversource and National Grid), driven by heavy snow/ice loading on lines, downed trees/branches, and high winds — not primarily generation shortfalls. Grid operators (ISO New England) managed demand without widespread rolling blackouts.
Renewables' performance varies: Solar output is naturally low in midwinter (short days, low sun angle, plus snow cover on panels), often near zero during storms. Wind can be strong during north easters (cold fronts bring gusty winds), potentially boosting output, but turbines may curtail or shut down for safety in extreme gusts (>70 mph reported here) or icing.
Earlier 2026 storms (e.g., Fern in January) showed mixed results: In New England, wind contributed meaningfully (e.g., offshore farms like Vineyard Wind hit high capacity factors during cold snaps, sometimes 50–75%, aiding reliability when correlated with high winds). Hydrocarbons (gas, coal, oil) ramped up massively to meet peaks, while wind dipped in some hours due to weather. Renewables were not the primary cause of any shortfalls; dispatchable sources (gas/coal/nuclear) handled the bulk, with renewables playing a supportive role where available.
Broader U.S. context: Texas's 2021 Uri disaster saw widespread failures across all sources (mostly gas infrastructure freezing, with wind/renewables a minor fraction of outages). Post-2021 winterisation, batteries, and more renewables helped Texas weather later storms better. Northeast grids (ISO-NE) are more interconnected and diverse, with nuclear baseload and gas peakers providing resilience, though New England's heavy push toward renewables/offshore wind has raised concerns about winter firming.
Grids need firm, dispatchable backups (gas, nuclear, hydro, batteries) for extremes. Heavy snowstorms test everything: lines fail under ice weight, gas supplies can tighten (heating demand diverts fuel), and even coal/oil plants face mechanical issues in cold. But over-dependence on intermittent sources without adequate storage/transmission can amplify risks when sun is absent and wind inconsistent.
This storm underscores the need for resilient, all-of-the-above planning: don't pretend renewables alone can shoulder peak winter loads when nature throws a historic punch. Digging out from snow is tough; digging out from blackouts in subzero cold is deadly.
