Team Spain ski mountaineer Ana Alonso Rodriguez finished her 2026 Winter Olympics journey with two bronze medals mere months after being hit by a car.

On Saturday, February 21, Rodriguez, 31, and her teammate Oriol Cardona Coll clinched a bronze medal in the Milan and Cortina, Italy, ski mountaineering mixed relay event, finishing behind France’s gold medal winners Emily Harrop and Thibault Anselmet and silver medalists, Marianne Fatton and Jon Kistler, of Switzerland. Rodriguez had previously won bronze in the women’s sprint event earlier in the week.

Two podium placements for Rodriguez was a particularly astounding result since she survived being struck by a car last October. Rodriguez said her “risky” decision to compete in the Olympics so soon after her injuries payed off, despite her decision to avoid having surgery for her torn ACL and separated shoulder.

“I made a very risky decision, which was not to have surgery on my knee or shoulder, and many people thought I was crazy, but in the end it wasn’t so crazy, and I won as many medals as I thought I could,” she told Reuters on Saturday.

Related: Lindsey Vonn Shares Update After 4th Surgery: ‘Please, Don’t Be Sad’

Lindsey Vonn is not asking for any sympathy after undergoing her fourth surgery following her catastrophic 2026 Winter Olympics crash. “Surgery went well today!” Thankfully I will be able to finally go back to the US! Once I’m back I will give you more updates and info about my injury… But until then, as I […]

Rodriguez added, “I feel very proud that I didn’t give up and gave it my all until the end and believed in myself so much because it was very difficult. I think I’ve managed to find a strength that even I didn’t know I had.”

In October 2025, Rodriguez posted a look at the aftermath of a devastating accident that occurred during training.

In a series of slides via Instagram, Rodriguez showcased the moments after the crash as she lay in the street below an SUV with a cracked windshield. A selfie shot later in the gym showcased the athlete with her left arm in a sling and her left knee protected by a heavy brace as she used a crutch to stand upright.

“A few days ago, while I was training on my road bike, a car hit me. At the last moment, when I saw there was no way out, I was able to tense my body and brace for the impact… and I’m convinced that’s what prevented something much worse,” she wrote.

At the time, Rodriguez admitted her future in ski mountaineering was uncertain because of a litany of injuries, including ACL and MCL ligament tears, a broken ankle, a separated shoulder and bone edema in her knee.

“All things considered, I’m here (which is what matters most), in one piece and more determined than ever to move forward,” she wrote. “I know the road ahead won’t be easy. There will be gray days—days of pain, doubt, and exhaustion… but I also know those are the days that make you truly appreciate it when the sun shines again.”

Rodriguez went on, “It’s not the first time I’ve had to get back up. Even though this time the hill is steeper and I have to climb it faster—you already know I’ve never liked the easy paths. I’m putting my fighter suit back on and going for it, surrounded by the best professional and human team I could possibly have.”

Rodriguez admitted that the roadside collision was an unexpected twist on her quest for glory in Milan and Cortina.

“Just 7 months ago, I fulfilled a dream [to qualify for the Olympics] that was born when I was 7 years old,” she wrote. “I don’t believe life brought me there just to leave me here. This isn’t an ending—it’s just a new challenge to climb with determination, faith, and a lot of passion.”

She concluded, “From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who has been and continues to be there. Feeling so much trust, love, and support is my engine, my drive, and my strength to achieve this. There aren’t enough words to express all my gratitude. I am fortunate—now more than ever 🥹🙏🏻This is for you—for those who never doubted for a moment; and for those who are no longer here, but whom I feel with me in every step.”

Rodriguez’s dedication paid off when she hit the slopes in Milan and Cortina. Earlier in the week, the ski mountaineer told the Associated Press that it was “so emotional” to have triumphed in the face of such adversity.

“I couldn’t believe it [that I won a bronze medal] … Trying to believe that I achieved this medal, it was a beautiful moment for me,” she added.

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Related: Team USA’s Isabeau Levito Pleads for Olympic Village Not to ‘Evict’ Her

Team USA figure skater Isabeau Levito is not ready for her 2026 Winter Olympics journey to come to an end.  “I’ve spent every night in the [Olympic] Village. It’s been everything and more,” Levito, 18, told NBC in a video posted on Monday, February 16. “You can’t evict me.” Levito added, “I don’t think there’s […]

Rodriguez stressed that her only goal coming into Milan and Cortina was simply to compete since even that possibility seemed remote only a few months ago.

“I wanted to focus on myself and be proud of my performance, no matter the result,” she said. “So I only wanted to cross the finish line being happy with my performance.”

‘Vanderpump Rules’
New Cast, Same Old Hit TV Show …
Receives Early Renewal

Published
February 21, 2026
4:16 PM PST
|
Updated
February 21, 2026
5:15 PM PST

The “Watergate scandal” involving the administration of President Richard Nixon has been one of the most well-documented moments in American history. In addition to films like All the President’s Men and Dick that were about the break-in itself, Watergate has also been an essential part of biopics of the President, including Nixon, Frost/Nixon, and Secret Honor. The implications of Watergate also inspired several conspiracy thrillers that created similar scenarios, including The Conversation, The Parallax View, and Capricorn One. However, in all these studies of Watergate, attention was rarely paid to those who actually performed the break-in, and why they were motivated to act on behalf of President Nixon. White House Plumbers is a quirky, enlightening HBO series that shines a spotlight on the colorful characters involved in a major incident that shaped the next few decades of American politics.

Inspired by a non-fiction novel by Egil Krogh and Matthew Krogh, White House Plumbers explores the bizarre true story of two self-proclaimed patriots within Nixon’s White House who were convinced to stage the Watergate break-in, and ultimately end up taking the fall for it. Howard Hunt (Woody Harrelson) was a longstanding member of the CIA who worked alongside the bumbling White House lawyer G. Gordon Liddy (Justin Theroux) to serve as a covert organization known as the “White House Plumbers,” who were tasked by the attorney John Dean (Domhnall Gleeson) with fixing any “leaks” that may have come from Nixon and his allies. However, this isn’t a typical HBO drama about the “best and brightest” members of an espionage crew; the misadventures that Hunt and Liddy get into result in a hilarious satire about who actually has the power to shape the actions of a nation.

HBO’s ‘White House Plumbers’ Spoofed One of America’s Greatest Scandals

White House Plumbers is unique among recreations of the Nixon administration because the series is focused on the actual minutia of how the break-in happened, and not just about its ramifications. Although Watergate would become a stand-in for many political films of the 1970s, the scandal escalated because of the way that the Nixon administration doubled-down on their obstruction of justice. The actual burglary was a relatively minor incident, which makes it so funny that Liddy and Hunt treat it as an important moral duty that they have on behalf of their nation.

The show explores how the desire for power and legacy is enough to convince people to take elaborate risks that they can’t justify. Hunt at least seems to be aware that what they are doing could have severe consequences, but he sees performing a dangerous activity as a means to possibly gain the favor of senior members of Nixon’s inner circle. Of course, most of the powerful Republicans at the time had no idea who Liddy and Hunt were, which is made clear within a particularly amusing scene with John Caroll Lynch as Attorney General John N. Mitchell.

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Even ignoring the pointed commentary on who actually ends up shaping history, White House Plumbers is a great buddy comedy with two actors who have finally been able to sink their teeth into comedic roles. Harrelson has done so many serious television and film roles recently that it’s easy to forget that he was once a comedy icon with White Men Can’t Jump, Kingpin, and Wag the Dog. Similarly, Theroux had been doing more serious work with The Leftovers and The Mosquito Coast, and White House Plumbers gave him the opportunity to be just as colorful and idiosyncratic as he was with his animated voice work. One of the standout moments of the scene is a painfully awkward dinner party in which Liddy and Hunt introduce each other to their respective wives; Hunt and his wife Dorothy (Lena Headey) quickly learn that Liddy and his wife Fran (Judy Greer) are eccentrics who shouldn’t be given any degree of influence.

HBO’s ‘White House Plumbers’ Is a Relevant Piece of Satire

White House Plumbers finds it comedy in showing the escalation of the situation and how poorly managed it was from the beginning. Liddy and Hunt were clearly ill-fitted for the responsibility of infiltrating Democratic headquarters, but they ultimately couldn’t be blamed for a heist for which there was little planning. It was due to the vast ignorance of the other conspirators that everyone else ended up being prosecuted, as no one would ever believe that Liddy and Hunt were the “masterminds” behind it all.

It’s a scathing takedown of how scapegoating works in conspiracies, but also an ironic reflection on how history is written. Even though Liddy and Hunt were involved in a failed plot that resulted in a changing-of-the-guard within the White House, they won’t be remembered in history textbooks the same way that the more prominent conspirators were. Given that HBO has a knack for historical miniseries like Band of Brothers and John Adams, White House Plumbers was a nice change of pace because it wasn’t afraid to poke fun at the self-importance of people who tried to avoid culpability. Looking back at the past in White House Plumbers wasn’t just revelatory, but successful in putting history into perspective.

If there’s any genre that perfectly lends itself to high ambitions, it has to be science fiction. Throughout the entire history of sci-fi television, there have been countless shows that have aimed for the stars—whether they met those aspirations or not. From big chapters in huge multimedia franchises to entirely original series that changed the game, these sci-fi shows are proof of the heights that the genre can reach when done with enough passion.

Whether it’s The Mandalorian bringing Star Wars to the world of live-action television or The Leftovers proving that sci-fi and the world of prestige TV can get along wonderfully, these series have shown that determination and big ideas can be all a show in this genre needs to be great. Ambition doesn’t always equal greatness, but in these shows’ case, that’s certainly what it ended up amounting to.

10

‘WandaVision’ (2021)

Image via Disney+

Proving that a new formula for shows properly and fully connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, after the downfall of Netflix’s street-level side of the franchise, could work; paying homage to different eras of the American sitcom format through complex and varied visual tones; delivering a metafictional, genre-bending narrative that prioritized character work over traditional superhero action (most of the time, at least). Those are but a few of the things that make WandaVision ambitious.

Had this series not worked, who knows whether the franchise would have built up the confidence to make the jump to more TV series? But as one of the most perfect sci-fi miniseries ever, WandaVision clearly did work, despite an underwhelming finale. Its aesthetics were the cherry on top of what was already one of the MCU’s most ambitious projects to date, and it all paid off wonderfully.

9

‘Andor’ (2022–2025)

Image via Disney+

A show centered on the deuteragonist of a prequel spin-off where he dies at the end, returning to the focus on space politics that made so many people dislike George Lucas‘ prequel trilogy, leveraging a high budget to deliver a gritty, grounded, mature political thriller that prioritizes complex character study over fan service. Those are but a few of the things that make Andor ambitious.

It’s one of the highest-rated prequel shows on IMDb, and for good reason. It’s Star Wars at its best: Politically charged and refreshingly nuanced, packed with thrilling action sequences, and full of emotionally satisfying character arcs that aren’t without their occasional bits of tragedy. It might just be the best that the franchise has been since the ’80s.

8

‘The Leftovers’ (2014–2017)

Image via HBO

Ever-so-subtle uses of science fiction that keep its plot grounded in reality and character work; refusing to ever fully explain its mysterious central premise, instead focusing on the emotional and philosophical effects that it has on the characters and their world; touching on aspects of the human condition so intellectually challenging that most shows wouldn’t dare touch them with a ten-foot pole. Those are but a few of the things that make The Leftovers ambitious.

The best thing about the series is that all of its philosophical, intellectual, and narrative ambitions pay off. It’s one of the best sci-fi shows with zero filler episodes, an engrossing and emotionally raw drama with some of the most intricate thematic work of any HBO show. It’s a modern classic that sometimes doesn’t get nearly as much love as it deserves, and though it may not be all that technically ambitious, its narrative aspirations are sky-high.

7

‘The Last of Us’ (2023–Present)

Image via HBO

Adapting both one of the most acclaimed video games in history and its sequel, one of the most divisive video games of all time; expanding the games’ lore and changing key aspects, trying not to upset fans in the process (sometimes successfully, sometimes not); and translating the many ambitions of both of its pieces of source material into a televisual language. Those are but a few of the things that make The Last of Us ambitious.

For the longest time, video game adaptations on both the big and small screens had a track record bordering on embarrassing. At some point during this century, though, creatives seemed to start figuring things out. By this point, video game adaptations seem to have found in television their ideal home, and few shows prove that better than The Last of Us. It can be scary, it can be exciting, it can be emotionally devastating, and it never fails to be entertaining. Even in the face of a disappointing second season, fans are still hoping for a return to form, so this will likely continue being one of the most-watched HBO shows ever.

6

‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ (1993–1999)

Image via Paramount Television

Constantly breaking the established Star Trek formula to deliver a more serialized, morally grey story; bringing Gene Roddenberry‘s romantic and optimistic view of humanity into question throughout its whole run; making it so that all actions had far more permanent consequences than in any show the franchise had seen before. Those are but a few of the things that make Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ambitious.

The Star Trek franchise as a whole is one of the most ambitious multimedia sci-fi franchises in history, and all of its television installments have made sure to aim for the stars. But even though it may not be the most popular Trek show, Deep Space Nine is one of the only installments in the franchise mainly known precisely for being ambitious. Its commitment to giving the Star Trek franchise and all the traditions it had built up a refreshing spin remains admirable almost three decades after its conclusion, and it always made it so that this was one of those sci-fi shows that gets better every season.

5

‘Dark’ (2017–2020)

Image via Netflix

Diving deep into a tale about time travel and parallel universes in a way so layered that viewers practically need a notebook to keep up; telling a pre-planned three-season story while always remaining true to the original thematic and tonal vision; having to pay far more meticulous attention to detail than most sci-fi series, lest a plot hole seep in through the cracks and bring the whole house of cards crashing down. Those are but a few of the things that make Dark ambitious.

For the mere fact that it was Netflix’s first-ever German-language show alone, Dark could have already been labeled ambitious. But on top of that, there’s everything that makes it one of the most nearly-perfect sci-fi shows ever: Profoundly intricate plotting, several jaw-dropping twists, satisfying character arcs, and flawless production values. It’s an entirely unique masterpiece of a show.

4

‘The Mandalorian’ (2019–Present)

Image via Disney+

Being the very first live-action TV show in Star Wars history, after 42 years of the franchise’s existence; bridging the gap between the beloved original trilogy and the divisive sequel trilogy; giving fans Easter eggs to be excited by while establishing new characters (some of which ended up being among the best Star Wars TV show characters ever); and revolutionizing the visual effects industry with the introduction of StageCraft, a.k.a. “The Volume.” Those are but a few of the things that make The Mandalorian ambitious.

Underwhelming third season notwithstanding, The Mandalorian ended up being one of the best things that Disney has done for Star Wars since their purchase of Lucasfilm, expanding the lore and world-building of the galaxy far, far away in all sorts of thrilling ways. It would have been very easy for the House of Mouse to just haphazardly put a cash-grab together and call it a day, but instead, they allowed Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni to aim as high as they wanted.

3

‘Lost’ (2004–2010)

Image via ABC

Breaking the conventions of network television by blending a high-budget cinematic aesthetic with a complex, serialized mystery structure, having an ensemble of more characters than one can count, while giving each one of them their fair share of time under the spotlight, and constantly aiming higher and higher with its fractured narrative structure and “mystery box” storytelling. Those are but a few of the things that make Lost ambitious.

Throughout the show’s run, it felt like everyone and their grandmother were watching Lost and talking about it. And if its divisive finale achieved anything, it was at least ensuring that the series would remain a part of the pop-culture conversation for many more years. It’s one of the most ambitious drama shows ever, and regardless of whether it stuck the landing in the end or not, the fact that it never stopped swinging for the fences is worthy of props.

2

‘Doctor Who’ (1963–Present)

Image via BBC

Constantly refreshing itself by allowing its main character to change their appearance and personality every time they die; finding ways not to run out of creative ideas after over 60 years on the air (hiatus not counted); transforming itself as society has changed over the years since 1963. Those are but a few of the things that make Doctor Who ambitious.

Technically, Doctor Who consists of the original show and two revivals, all three shows having different pages on IMDb; but with the series holding a Guinness World Record as the longest-running sci-fi TV show ever, it can all be considered a single iconic show. There has probably never been a television series better at reinventing itself than Doctor Who, which was originally devised as an educational show for children, but has since evolved into one of the biggest pillars of sci-fi pop culture ever. It’s one of the best sci-fi shows with over five seasons, perfect for fans of the genre looking for a long commitment.

1

‘Babylon 5’ (1993–1998)

Image via Warner Bros. Television

Revolutionizing American broadcast television by telling a serialized pre-planned five-year story arc at a time when such a thing was virtually unprecedented; being the first-ever TV show to use CGI as its primary method for VFX; covering a wide range of themes far more complex than what most sci-fi shows were tackling at the time; and doing all this with a fraction of the budget of most of its contemporaries. Those are but a few of the things that make Babylon 5 the most ambitious sci-fi show in television history.

Saying that Babylon 5 broke the mold would be an understatement. Sci-fi television would probably not be what it is today without it, and the world certainly would be a far sadder place. Not all of its elements have aged gracefully, as can be expected from a mid-budget ’90s sci-fi show, but that has never been a problem for fans. Babylon 5 was, and still is, utterly historic.

Team USA figure skater Ilia Malinin made a triumphant return to the 2026 Winter Olympics ice after his disappointing 8th place finish.

Wearing a dark sweatshirt and distressed jeans, the Olympian performed at the figure skating exhibition gala on Saturday, February 21, to “Fear” by NF, batting away invisible demons as the music played during a skate that the athlete previously teased would represent the negative impact social media is proven to have on young people’s mental health.

After performing his signature backflip — a move that was illegal from 1977 to 2024 — the 21-year-old skater became visibly emotional as the crowed roared with applause.

“On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside,” Malinin wrote after he failed to podium in the men’s free skate, shocking the figure skating world. “Even your happiest memories can end up tainted by the noise. Vile online hatred attacks the and fear lures it into the darkness, no matter how hard you try to stay sane through the endless insurmountable pressure.”

Related: Ilia Malinin Had ‘Traumatic’ Thoughts Before Shocking 8th Place Finish

After a heartbreaking performance in the men’s free skate final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, figure skating phenom Ilia Malinin said he felt “overwhelmed” in the moment. “It was really just something that overwhelmed me, and I just felt like I had no control,” Malinin said on Friday, February 13, after his shocking eight place […]

He continued, “It all builds up as these moments flash before our eyes, resulting in an inevitable crash. This is that version of the story. Coming February 21, 2026.”

Malinin, nicknamed the “Quad God,” missed the podium after the men’s free skate on February 13 at the 2026 Winter Olympics in a shocking upset that saw him finish in eighth place.

Malinin was the gold-medal favorite after finishing the short program, but the mistakes began almost as soon as he hit the ice for the free skate. After completing his first jump, a quadruple flip, Malinin attempted a quadruple axel but managed only a single.

He went on to fall twice and botched several other jumps, including a quad loop that turned into a double.

Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan ultimately won gold, with Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama finished with silver and Shun Sato, also from Japan, earned bronze. Shaidorov, 21, is Kazakhstan’s first-ever gold medalist in figure skating. Kagiyama, 22, previously won silver at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

“I was not expecting that,” Malinin told NBC after his shocking performance. “I felt so ready getting on that ice. Maybe I was too confident it was going to go well.”

Related: Figure Skater Ilia Malinin Speaks Out After Falling in Olympic Free Skate

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Days after he stumbled during his 2026 Olympics free skate, Ilia Malinin is taking some time to reflect. “On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside,” the figure skater, 21, captioned a montage of highlights via Instagram on Monday, February 16. “Even your happiest […]

Malinin is the only figure skater in history to successfully land a quadruple axel in competition, and it had never been done at the Olympics. He was expected to attempt the jump on Friday.

Malinin went on to admit that he felt “overwhelmed” in the moment leading up to his free skate final performance.

“It was really just something that overwhelmed me, and I just felt like I had no control,” he said on February 13. “Honestly, I still haven’t been able to process what just happened. It’s a lot of mixed motions. Going into this competition, I felt really good. This whole day, I felt very solid, and I jus thought that all I needed to do is go out there and trust the process that I’ve always been doing with every competition. But of course, it’s not like any other competition, it’s the Olympics.”

Authorities in Ohio have arrested and charged a former ‘American Idol’ contestant with shooting and killing his wife and staging the crime scene to mislead investigators. Caleb Flynn pleaded not guilty Friday to charges of murder, assault and tampering with evidence, per the Associated Press.

RELATED: Former Prince Andrew Arrested On Suspicion Of Misconduct In Public Office Over Ties To Jeffrey Epstein

What Is The ‘American Idol’ Contestant Accused Of Doing?

Caleb’s wife, Ashley Flynn, was found dead Monday (Feb. 16) after officers received a report of a burglary and shooting at a Tipp City home, according to a news release by Tipp City Police. Her husband and two children were inside the home when officers arrived. Ashley’s body was reportedly in the master bedroom, along with two empty gun shell casings from bullets for a 9mm handgun.

In a 911 call released by authorities, a frantic Caleb Flynn told a dispatcher someone broke into his home and killed his wife. He claimed the person shot Ashley Flynn twice in the head. Also, he said he didn’t know whether the intruder was still in the home.

“There’s blood everywhere, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god,” he says in the call, which can be heard in the KHOU11 video below.

Police arrested Flynn on Thursday, approximately three days after the Monday shooting. In a video of his arraignment from jail, the 39-year-old pleaded with Judge Samuel Huffman for his release. “I just want to take care of my daughters. I’m not a risk,” Caleb Flynn told Huffman. In the end, the judge set his bond at $2 million and said will be on house if bond is paid. The former ‘American Idol’ contestant will also be under a no contact order which includes not communicating through family.

Police Reacts To Flynn’s Lawyer Alleging A Rushed Case

On Saturday (Feb. 21), Attorney Patrick Mulligan said in a statement that he and the former ‘American Idol’ contestant felt “disappointed and concerned about the short timeline and seeming rush to judgment in this case.”

“When the government runs out of leads or can’t develop leads and looks at a surviving spouse in cases such as these, the chance of a wrongful conviction increases,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, Tipp City Police Chief Greg Adkins defended the investigation, saying in an email on Saturday that it had “not moved fast.”

“Rather, it has progressed at a pace dictated by a thorough and deliberate investigative process,” Adkins said.

Fundraiser For Ashley Flynn’s Daughters Raises Over $100,000

The late Ashley Flynn was a middle school volleyball coach and substitute teacher, Tipp City Schools said on its Facebook page.

“She was known for her beautiful smile, warmth, kindness, and the positive impact she had on so many—both in and out of the classroom and on the court,” the post said. Our thoughts are with all who are grieving during this difficult time. 🤍

One day before Caleb Flynn’s arrest on Thursday, GoFundMe shared a Facebook post detailing the death of Ashley. At the time, her husband was not a public suspect. Therefore, the post preached that the funds were to help Caleb and their daughters “during this unimaginable time.” By that point, donors had raised $77,000 and as of Saturday the amount has surpassed $107,000.

The GoFundMe fundraiser description says the funds raised “will be transferred to an account managed by Ashley’s uncle, Rob Groeschen.” It adds: “These funds will be used for the benefit of Ashley’s daughters.”

RELATED: Big Blessing! Bun B Celebrates His Wife Ringing The Bell After Beating Breast Cancer (VIDEO)

Associated Press writer Sudhin Thanawala contributed to this report via AP Newsroom. 

Roommates, the East Coast is possibly preparing for another L regarding severe weather. According to the Associated Press, a rapidly intensifying winter storm triggered blizzard warnings on Saturday for New York City, New Jersey, and Boston, and for additional states, as experts warn of heavy snow and damaging winds on Sunday.

RELATED: Play Too Much! DoorDash And Social Media Users Crack Jokes As Winter Storm Sweeps The U.S.

What To Expect From The New Winter Storm

On Saturday (Feb. 21), the National Weather Service upped the potential severity of the winter storm. Days earlier, experts had predicted the weather would be much milder.

Now, the weather service is saying 1 to 2 feet of snow is possible in many areas. Blizzard warnings went out for New York City and Long Island, Boston, and coastal communities in New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. Flooding was also possible in parts of New York and New Jersey, the agency said.

“While we do get plenty of these nor’easters that produce heavy snow and strong impacts, it’s been several years since we saw one of this magnitude across this large of a region in this very populated part of the country,” said Cody Snell, a meteorologist at the service’s Weather Prediction Center.

Meteorologist Snell said the winter storm would arrive Sunday morning in areas around Washington D.C. before stretching toward Philadelphia and New York City. By evening, it will reach Boston.

The weather service said the winter storm could begin as rainfall in some places before worsening. Also, the heaviest snow is expected to fall at night with as much as two inches of snow per hour at times in some areas, before tapering off by Monday afternoon.

The National Weather Service warned that the winter storm, with steady winds of 25 to 35 mph would “make travel dangerous, if not impossible.”

“Scattered downed tree limbs and power outages possible due to snow load and strong winds,” the weather service said.

New York Is Not Playing Any Games This Time

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the city would expand on efforts it used to deal with a major snowfall weeks ago. But officials held off on deciding whether to open schools Monday for the time being.

“We saw on Friday there was expectation that the likelihood was that we were going to face maybe 3 to 4 inches of snow. Quickly that then changed,” Mamdani said. “So we want to make sure that we make a decision based on up-to-date and accurate information.”

Still, New York brought in additional snow clearing equipment from outside the city. Additionally, it planned to increase use of geocoding to keep track of bus stops and crosswalks that need clearing, the mayor said.

How Are Other States & Its Cities Preparing?

Just when blocks of ice from the last snowstorm were finally melting away, this new storm is approaching!

With the winter storm zeroing in, John Berlingieri scrapped plans for a family trip to Puerto Rico to prepare his company, Berrington Snow Management, for snow removal in Long Island. His employees spent the last few days recharging batteries on the company’s 40 front-end loaders and replacing windshield wipers on snow removal vehicles. Saturday was a rest day for the crew. “I’m anticipating at least one week of work around the clock,” Berlingieri said.

Meanwhile, officials in Atlantic City, New Jersey, urged residents and casino visitors to stay off the streets, especially in low-lying neighborhoods prone to flooding.

“I could go on and on probably with a good two dozen streets where we know we will get water and there will be snow on top of that,” said Scott Evans, the city’s fire chief and emergency management coordinator. “So you won’t be able to see it until it’s too late, so therefore please stay at home.”

Many churches canceled Sunday services and other activities. To compensate, St. Veronica Parish in Howell, New Jersey, added an extra Mass on Saturday evening.

“Please stay safe, avoid unnecessary travel, and keep one another in prayer during the storm,” the Rev. Peter James Alindogan posted online.

RELATED: Oh, We Outside?! Social Media Is Cuttin’ Up With Posts About Acting UP When Winter Ends (PHOTOS)

Associated Press writers Adam Geller, Kathy McCormack, Julie Walker, and Larry Neumeister contributed to this report via AP Newsroom. 

Lindsey Vonn is addressing the haters… again.

“It wasn’t all for nothing… it wasn’t a dream… although sitting in this hospital bed it seems far away now…,” Vonn, 41, wrote via Instagram on Saturday, February 21, defending her decision to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics despite tearing her ACL nine days earlier.

“But I did it. I came back. I won,” she continued in the caption, shared alongside a highlight video of her recent races. “I showed up and did what most thought was impossible at my age with a partial knee replacement. These memories I’ll have forever and I’m grateful for every one of them. Every moment was amazing. Every moment was worth it.”

After tearing her ACL in a World Cup competition on January 30, Vonn decided to compete in the Olympics despite the athlete publicly confirming the ligament was “100 percent gone.”

Just 13 seconds into her first run of the Games on February 8, she broke her left tibia after clipping a flag and crashing out. She was airlifted off the course in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, and transported to a nearby hospital where she underwent four surgeries.

She returned to the United States on Tuesday, February 17, and underwent several additional surgeries.

Critics jumped on Vonn after the second injury, with some claiming she should not have competed in the Olympics after tearing her ACL and, instead, let someone else compete in her spot.

Vonn is having none of that, listing out her achievements in Saturday’s Instagram post.

“One thing that stung was when people said I was selfish and should give my Olympic spot to someone else,” she said in the post. “So… I just wanted to recap my season for all the haters out there that don’t understand what it means to earn your spot, and on a more positive note, to just reflect… #1 in the downhill standings; 3rd in sg standings; 2x Downhill wins; On every downhill podium all season; 7/8 podiums overall (only one 4th place).”

She continued, “It’s not impossible until it’s done. I didn’t reach my ultimate goal…. But I still did a lot. Thank you to those who believed! ❤️🙏🏻 #BELV.”

Vonn previously defended herself on social media after several people were questioning the extent of her ACL injury, even before breaking her leg at the Olympics.

“lol thanks doc,” Vonn posted via X on February 7, in response to a sports medicine doctor who was questioning the state of her injury. “My ACL was fully functioning until last Friday. Just because it seems impossible to you doesn’t mean it’s not possible. And yes, my ACL is 100% ruptured. Not 80% or 50%. It’s 100% gone.”

On Friday, Vonn shared a new photo of her broken leg, an x-ray showing what looks like a medal stabilizing brace on her bone.

“As you can see, it required a lot of plates and screws to put back together but Dr. Hackett did an incredible job,” Vonn posted via Instagram on Friday, along with a carousel of videos of her in the hospital with the x-ray photos. “Thank you Dr. Viola for the surgery assist as well!”

She acknowledged the struggle of her long recovery, saying she has not been on her feet in over a week.

Through it all, she claims her second, more grueling, injury had nothing to do with her original ACL tear.

“I was simply 5 inches too tight on my line when my right arm hooked inside of the gate, twisting me and resulted in my crash,” she shared via Instagram after the crash. “My ACL and past injuries had nothing to do with my crash whatsoever.”