WCVB anchor Erika Tarantal skied into her Dedham, Mass., newsroom on Feb. 23 after Winter Storm Hernando produced blizzard conditions across the Northeast. Local forecasts warned of up to 24 inches of snow and wind gusts comparable to Category 1 hurricane force. FOX Weather reported 22.5 inches of accumulation in Montauk with hip-high drifts, and the NWS confirmed multiple locations saw over two feet of snow and 70+ mph gusts. Authorities urged residents to avoid travel and follow safety guidance during the nor'easter.
News Anchor Skis to Work as Historic Nor'easter Dumps Over 2 Feet of Snow and Hurricane-Force Winds
A Massachusetts news anchor skied to work during a blizzard on Feb. 23.WCVB Channel 5 Boston/TikTok
Erika Tarantal, an anchor for ABC affiliate WCVB in Boston, took an unconventional commute on Feb. 23 — strapping on cross-country skis to make her way to the station as a powerful nor'easter hammered the Northeast.
Tarantal recorded the snowy trek from a hotel where she left her car parked in a covered garage. Bundled against the storm, she showed herself clipping into the ski bindings and joked on camera, “And they say the (U.S.) Postal Service goes through anything!”
As blowing snow reduced visibility to near whiteout conditions, Tarantal pointed toward the station and laughed, “Okay, the station is right over there. I swear!” A station news van later navigated the snowy lot and she arrived safely in the newsroom, cheering, “Made it to the newsroom!”
Storm Impact and Live Reporting
Forecasters at WCVB warned the region could see as much as 24 inches of snow with gusts strong enough to reach Category 1 hurricane force. The National Weather Service (NWS) reported blizzard conditions across much of the Northeast as Winter Storm Hernando tracked along the coast.
FOX Weather storm specialist Mike Seidel, reporting live from Montauk, N.Y., waded through drifts up to his hips where crews had measured 22.5 inches of snow at the time. “It’s one for the record books,” Seidel said, underscoring the storm’s severity.
The NWS shared data showing gusts over 70 mph in several locations, and several communities have already recorded more than two feet of accumulation. The agency classifies this system as a nor'easter — a coastal storm characterized by northeast winds that are most frequent and often most violent between September and April.
Safety Note: Authorities urged residents to avoid nonessential travel, stay informed on local advisories, and prepare for prolonged power outages and hazardous conditions.
Tarantal’s ski commute provided a human, resilient moment amid widespread disruption — and a reminder of the creativity and determination reporters often display to bring the news to viewers during extreme weather.
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