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Top 10 epic snow totals across Rhode Island and Massachusetts
By Ken Mahan, Globe Staff
Monday’s Blizzard of ’26 dumped more than 3 feet of snow in many portions of Rhode Island, and well over 30 inches in parts of Massachusetts.
Here are the top snowfall totals for each state and their previous record.
Many flocked to marijuana dispensaries ahead of the roughest weather in decades — 5:07 p.m.
By Bryan Hecht, Globe Correspondent
Ahead of this week’s history-making blizzard, people rushed to stock up on all the essentials: groceries, flashlights, shovels — and, for some, weed.
Several dispensaries told the Globe that sales skyrocketed ahead of Monday’s storm, just as they did in January. On each of the two days prior to January’s snowstorm, state data showed, pot sales across Massachusetts eclipsed those of last year’s 4/20 holiday — one the most revenue-rich days for cannabis sellers — by more than $2 million.
Easthampton’s The Verb is Herb was packed all weekend, said Karen Croisetiere, who checks customers’ IDs at the door there. Some hopped the border from Connecticut to grab their snow day essentials as late as 8 p.m. on Sunday night, she added — hours after Governor Maura Healey issued a statewide state of emergency and restricted non-essential vehicle travel in some counties.
“Our customers are pretty rabid,” the 63-year-old Croisetiere said. “People need their weed.”
Vermont, Connecticut agree to send plows to Rhode Island — 4:42 p.m.
By Steph Machado, Globe Staff
Answering the call from New England’s smallest state, Vermont and Connecticut have agreed to send equipment and people to help Rhode Island dig out of the snow.
Laura Hart, a spokesperson for Governor Dan McKee, said both states had agreed to send front-end loaders, dump trucks, plows, and people to drive them as soon as Wednesday.
McKee also asked other New England states for help, she said, and are in discussions. Earlier in the day, Mayor Brett Smiley had asked the mayors of Boston, Hartford, Bridgeport, Conn., and other cities that were not as hard-hit as Providence if they could send plows to help.
Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts bore the brunt of the storm, with more than three feet of snow falling at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick.
The Islamic Society of Boston reopens, resumes iftar gatherings in Cambridge — 4:38 p.m.
By Omar Mohammed, Globe Staff
The Islamic Society of Boston, the largest mosque in New England, reopened on Tuesday starting with early afternoon prayers, said Imam Abdulqadir Farah. The mosque, which has locations in Roxbury and Cambridge, had been closed since Sunday night due to the storm, bringing its Ramadan program to a halt.
“We had no prayers, like regular prayers … We didn’t have the taraweeh, we didn’t have the classes, we didn’t have any of the programs,” Farah said. “We didn’t have Iftar. So everything has been obviously disturbed.”
The Cambridge location will resume offering iftar, the meal eaten after sunset during Ramadan, on Tuesday. Farah said that location offers iftar, everyday during the month of Ramadan, while in Roxbury it provides the meal on weekends. Hundreds of people attend both locations for taraweeh prayers, he said.
Being able to have Iftar with others at the mosque is part of the joy of Ramadan, something that was unavailable for the community on Monday.
“Breaking fast together and just having a meal and sharing a meal and laughing with people, and all of that is missed,” Farah said. “The fact that they had to endure more than 24 hours, to stay at home and indoors, so you could only imagine the amount of hurting that will bring to anybody.”
Despite work, Plymouth remains frozen and largely silent — 4:36 p.m.
By John Hilliard, Globe Staff
Utility crews in bucket trucks navigated the snow-ladened streets here as workers in yellow vests hustled to restore power. Plows rumbled through town and made a dent in the snow, but there was so much more work to go.
More than a day after the blizzard washed out to sea, Plymouth on Tuesday remained frozen and largely silent.
Nearly 20,000 customers were without power here just before 2:30 pm, according to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.
Plymouth officials said in a statement that Monday’s storm created extremely dangerous conditions with downed trees and live wires, which were “significantly complicating” roadway clearing efforts for public works crews and contractors.
“Residents are strongly urged to continue sheltering in place to avoid becoming stranded, obstructing cleanup operations, or increasing demands on emergency services,” the town said.
On Court Street, Keegan Yee used a shovel to chip away at a snowpile near the front door of his bakery and cafe, Keegan Kreations. In his six years here, this was the worst storm he had experienced in Plymouth. The bakery and other nearby businesses were closed Tuesday despite the efforts of the town crews, which worked all night but were unable to keep up with the storm.
“We thought we had made it to spring,” Yee said.
Then he got back to work on the snow.
‘Hopefully, this is the end of this winter.’ Councilor Weber lends a shovel in West Roxbury — 4:35 p.m.
By Lauren Albano, Globe Correspondent
District 6 City Councilor Benjamin Weber joined neighborhood liaison Ben Tayag for the shoveling effort in West Roxbury.
Tayag received a crash course in using a snowblower inside the Draper Pool building before pushing the blower down Washington Street to clear a nearby bus stop. Weber soon pitched in with his shovel.
“My office has received a lot of calls from people who need help with snow,” Weber said. “I just left City Hall and came out here to see if I could pitch in.”
Weber said he thinks the city has “put its best foot forward” with its snow-removal efforts, and he appreciates residents doing the “hard work” on the sidewalks.
“What we have to do is figure out how we’re going to respond to storms like this, but also take into account that we haven’t seen anything like this in a decade, and not to overreact,” he said. “Hopefully, this is the end of this winter.”
‘There’s a lot of people who don’t have a lot of help.’ Solo volunteer helps neighbors dig out in West Roxbury — 4:27 p.m.
By Lauren Albano, Globe Correspondent
The West Roxbury shoveling meetup was spearheaded solo by neighborhood liaison Ben Tayag, who grew up in the neighborhood. He was unable to gather more volunteers since many had their children at home on the snow day.
“Schools are closed today, so they’re with their kids,” he said. Nearby at Draper Playground, which was blanketed in snow, families were sledding. Across Washington Street, kids were helping to shovel their backyards.
He said the citywide effort is a reminder for people to look out for their neighbors.
In West Roxbury, home to one of Boston’s largest older adult populations, this is especially true, he added. Tayag helped an elderly resident dig his car out from a snowbank.
“There’s a lot of people who don’t have a lot of help, and we’re just trying to do the most that we can with the time that we have,” he said.
‘Either you’re a hardy New Englander, or you’re screwed’ — 4:15 p.m.
By John Hilliard, Globe Staff
Many side streets along the seashore here remained virtually impassable Tuesday afternoon as the narrow lanes smothered in rolling hills of snow.
Here and there, a bright orange blade of a shovel popped up over the snowbanks, and the roar of a snowblower revved against a white wall of winter. Cars on the road — despite orders to stay home — moved gingerly along narrowed, slick streets.Some rolled with it.
“Either you’re a hardy New Englander, or you’re screwed,” said Charlie Cook, 73, of Rocky Hill Road, who recalled tunnels being dug through the snow in the Blizzard of ’78.
In downtown Plymouth, Town Hall was closed as was almost every business along Main Street, with closed signs in windows and chairs stacked on tables. Snow drifts still enveloped some front doors, and sidewalks remained frozen in snow and ice.
But some hardy souls were undeterred. Wayne Chafe, 77, stepped gingerly through slush looking for a restaurant open for business. Chafe asked a question that was on a lot of people’s minds.
“Is this why people my age move to Florida?”
Ed Flynn to hold City Council hearing on snow-melting machines — 3:50 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn plans to hold a hearing next month to look into the possibility of the Hub purchasing snow melting machines, his office said Tuesday.
The hearing is slated for March 3, his office said in a statement, released after more than 17 inches fell on Boston from Sunday into Monday. Cleanup efforts are ongoing.
“With significant snowfall an inevitability in Boston, it’s critical that the city explores investment in snow melters, and any other equipment, to ensure accessible pathways and roads for all, including first responders, our seniors, persons with disabilities, and young families,” Flynn said. “On account of the many concerns I’ve heard on public safety, accessibility, and quality of life – I believe it is critical that we deliver these enhanced basic city services to support both our neighbors and Boston’s local economy as well.”
Volunteer cleanup brings out people of all ages in South Boston — 3:42 p.m.
By Aayushi Datta, Globe Correspondent
After a historic blizzard blanketed South Boston, more than 10 residents gathered at the South Boston Neighborhood House on Tuesday afternoon as part of the city’s volunteer shoveling program.
Some people decided to bring help. Tracey Callahan, 41, who lives near Thomas Park and works as a speech pathologist, brought her 9-year-old daughter, Stella Belagorudsky, and 7-year-old son, Avi Belagorudsky, to the gathering.
“We just like to help out with the community,” Callahan said as she taught her children how to shovel around cars. “We like to take care of each other and support each other in South Boston.”
After Mayor Michelle Wu arrived, volunteers spoke with her and made their way up H Street. They later turned onto East Fifth Street, continuing to shovel around cars and clearing side streets.
Tim Ennis, 26, an analyst who lives on E Street, said the last storm left some areas, such as intersections, impassible. He decided to join the cleanup because he wanted to help out the neighborhood and make it easier to get around.
“Shoveling out yesterday was hard for someone in their 20s,” Ennis said outside the neighborhood house after taking time off from work. “Happy to come help out and get the neighborhood cleaned up.”
Dealing with snow storms, and snow in general, was a new thing for some people. Robert Ward, 37, a pastor who recently moved to East Seventh Street, the snow was still a novelty.
On the hills overlooking Dorchester Bay, people shovel snow to liberate their cars on Feb 24.Stan Grossfeld/ Globe Staff
“Coming up from Georgia, where we’re originally from, this is all very new to us,” Ward said as he stood next to his son, 12-year-old Quentin, while holding two shovels. “It seemed like a good opportunity to help some people to go ahead and get some shoveling going for folks who can’t do it for themselves.
”Ward said his son did not have much experience shoveling, but he did dig around the snow piles, making tunnels and makeshift igloos on the corner of Seventh Street.
“We felt like it would be a good skill set to bring to this,” he said, smiling down at his son.
As the volunteers continued to shovel alongside Wu, residents stopped by and requested for help shoveling near their area.
“We wanted to dig out fire hydrants, and dig out elderly [people]’s cars so that they can drive,” Stella Belagorudsky said.
Barnstable sees limited flood damage, but downed limbs hamper cleanup efforts — 3:33 p.m.
By Camilo Fonseca, Globe Staff
Officials in Barnstable say the town was spared some of the worst flooding from previous storms, as crews continue working to clear roadways and restore power.
“There were definitely lessons learned [from past winter storms] that we were able to apply to how we coordinated response efforts for this weekend storm,” said Kelly Collopy, a spokesperson for the town’s Department of Public Works.
“The flooding concerns and the flooding risks that we had [in 2015], thankfully, did not become a major factor in this storm.”
Downed tree limbs and electrical wires were blocking several neighborhood streets and access roads on Tuesday afternoon, Collopy said. The town had received approximately 450 complaints, most for downed limbs.
“That’s really the priority today, opening up those roads where things were impassable because of trees or power lines or even just drifting snow,” she said. “Our plow trucks, at some points, are not able to even access [certain roads] because of how deep the snow is.”
Roughly 23,000 customers remained without power just before 3 p.m., the most of any town on Cape Cod, according to Eversource’s outage map.
Even with limited flooding, the storm had still had a “monumental effect in terms of damages,” Collopy said.
“This is a multi-day cleanup effort,” Collopy said. “Everyone wants to get back to normal. We’re doing the best we can, but it’s going to, unfortunately, take some time.”
Snowstorm disrupts Ramadan activities at Dartmouth mosque — 3:10 p.m.
By Omar Mohammed, Globe Staff
Martin Bentz, the outreach coordinator for the Islamic Society of Southeastern Massachusetts, also known as Masjid Al Ehsan, said the Dartmouth mosque was closed until all roads were cleared and the congregation could regain access to the mosque. This is disrupting the small Muslim community’s ability to enjoy Ramadan, which began last week.
That has meant that communal prayers in the evenings that are held only during Ramadan, called taraweeh, have had to be canceled.
“[It’s] not essential, but a lovely part of Ramadan where you actually recite the Quran in groups. You do extra prayers,” said Bentz, who lives in nearby New Bedford and was shoveling his walkway while talking to a reporter on the phone.
At his home in the West End, city workers had just started plowing the roads in his neighborhood around 2 p.m., he said.
He said he was hoping they would get back on track soon.
“We feel sad we are not able to read the Quran together,” he said. “We always say Alhamdulillah and we will make it up in the days ahead.”
These Mass. school systems will remain closed Wednesday — 3:01 p.m.
By Shannon Larson, Globe Staff
Several Massachusetts school districts have announced they will remain closed Wednesday as the region digs out after the massive nor’easter. Many communities are still dealing with widespread power outages and hazardous road conditions.
Here’s the latest on school closures for Wednesday. This list will be updated, but readers are encouraged to check with their school websites for the latest news.
Hospitals report steady ER volumes following blizzard — 2:52 p.m.
By Nick Stoico, Globe Staff
Hospitals across eastern Massachusetts say they are not seeing a major spike in storm-related emergencies so far in the aftermath of Monday’s record-breaking storm.
The emergency department at Tufts Medical Center saw 142 patients between 8 p.m. Sunday and noon Tuesday, according to Jeremy Lechan, a hospital spokesperson. Of those, 27 patients were hospitalized.
Lechan said eight patients were being treated for falls, five for shoveling-related injuries, including two finger fractures from snowblowers, and six patients reported chest pain, though none were experiencing a severe heart attack, he said.
The overall numbers at Tufts were lower than usual, which officials attributed to people staying at home during the storm.
“That is likely to change soon, as people start digging out,” Lechan said.
A spokesperson for South Shore Health, Kristen Perfetuo, said the hospital system has treated several slip-and-fall cases from the icy conditions, but none resulted in major injuries.
One person was treated at South Shore Health Tuesday after having a heart attack, but it does not appear to be snow-related. No carbon monoxide exposure cases have been reported.
At Mass General Brigham, emergency departments are “operating normally without any major spikes to any particular weather-related injuries,” said Michael Morrison, a hospital spokesperson.
Latest snowfall forecast for Wednesday — 2:40 p.m.
By Ken Mahan, Globe Staff
A quick-moving clipper storm will push into New England early Wednesday, bringing some light snow. Boston and Southeastern Massachusetts, still digging out from Monday’s blizzard, will wind up with a coating to an inch, with some cold, light rain mixing in.
West of Boston and Providence, and north of I-95 will see 1 to 3 inches of accumulating snow. Northern New England, particularly Maine, will see more: 2 to 4 inches.
This system won’t be nearly as strong as Monday’s nor’easter because of the limited moisture in the atmosphere.
The snow should start at the tail end of the morning commute and wrap up by the time you head home.
‘You guys are my bosses’: Dave Epstein gives candid review of his storm forecast — 2:25 p.m.
By Marianne Mizera, Globe Staff
Snowshoeing under the beautiful sunshine, Globe meteorologist Dave Epstein addressed his followers on social media on Tuesday, reflecting on the accuracy of his storm forecast after more than three feet of snow fell in parts of Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.
“You guys are like my bosses, in a way, and I wanted to do a good job for everybody,” Epstein said in a video posted to Instagram.
“Obviously, the biggest issue here was the amount of snow that fell over Rhode Island and southeast Massachusetts, completely underpredicted,” he said in his assessment, which lasted more than four minutes. “You know, I had that circled area with up to two feet. Well, 2 feet is 24 inches – and 40 inches, it’s not 2 feet. And I said, expect surprises, and yeah, we got surprised. So definitely historic in that area. Incredible, frankly.”
Residents recharge phones, laptops at senior center — 2:13 p.m.
By Shelley Murphy, Globe Staff
Randy Robertson and his wife, Sharley, who both volunteer for Scituate’s Community Emergency Response Team, were snowed in and got a ride from the Fire Department to the senior center.
Sharley Robertson arrived prepared, with a large batch of homemade butterscotch oatmeal cookies.
Adam Crowley, 34, a Scituate native who lives in Washington, D.C., arrived at the center with his mother, sister, and her boyfriend. The group attended a bar mitzvah in Maine over the weekend, but then the storm disrupted Crowley’s plan to drive home.
Instead he and his dog rode it out at his parents’ Scituate home. When they woke up early Monday, the electricity was off and they could see their breathe in the house.
“We’re always the first to go out and the last to come back on,” said Crowley, noting that National Grid reported they were likely to get their electricity restored by 11 p.m. Tuesday.
His mother admitted she was happy to have all her children home as they sat around a table at the center, recharging their cellphones and working on their laptops.
Crowley’s dog, a Great Dane, was back at the house, resting comfortably by a fireplace. His sister, Lydia Crowley, 27, works in the financial district and said she was waiting for the travel ban on driving to be lifted.
Boudreau stopped by the center to check on how people were doing and grab a cup of coffee. He said the town’s library opened at noon and he expected it would be “booming” with people who still were without heat or electricity.
Scituate offers a spot for those without power — 2:06 p.m.
By Shelley Murphy, Globe Staff
With thousands of residents still without power, the Scituate Senior Center opened Tuesday morning for people who needed a place to warm-up and charge their electronic devices.
By early afternoon, dozens of people had drifted in to find a cozy respite: a gas fireplace, coffee, tea, coffee cake, and cookies.
Director Linda Kelley said she was expecting more people, but suspected many people were still digging out.
“I use the term barbaric, that’s how it felt last night; it was that cold,” said Tom Raskopf, 71, who has Type 1 diabetes. He knew he had to leave his house when the pump that measures his sugar level stopped working because the temperature inside had dipped below 40 degrees.
“It was scary,” he said.
He and his wife, Jean Souden, 75, who is battling cancer, said they were grateful when they arrived at the senior center.
“It’s the simple things in life,” Souden said as she sipped a hot cup of coffee.
“You have a lot of good people here,” Raskopf said.
Carbon monoxide poisoning sends 4 to hospital Monday — 2:01 p.m.
By Shelley Murphy, Globe Staff
As the blizzard battered this coastal town Monday, four people in Scituate were transported to the hospital by the fire department for carbon monoxide poisoning, according to town officials.
Town administrator Jim Boudreau cautioned people to make sure generators are properly ventilated.
T.F. Green to reopen at 3 p.m.; flight delays, cancellations to continue — 1:41 p.m.
By Christopher Gavin, Globe Staff
The airfield at Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport is scheduled to reopen at 3 p.m. Tuesday after crews complete snow removal and safety inspections, officials said.
“Airfield access will resume at that time; however, airline schedules will continue to be affected as carriers reposition aircraft and crews throughout the region,” the airport said in a statement. “Delays and cancellations are expected during the recovery process.”
Passengers are urged to check with their airline for up-to-date flight information, officials said.
Volunteers dig out bus stops in Roxbury — 1:39 p.m.
By Lauren Albano, Globe Correspondent
In Roxbury, mounds of snow are blocking bus stops and sidewalk crossings. Three volunteers, led by neighborhood liaison Asha Janay, began digging outside Twelfth Baptist Church to clear space for commuters to get on and off the bus.
They were one of a number of shoveling groups gathering on Tuesday afternoon.
“Today’s initiative is basically just being a good neighbor,” Janay said. “The city is doing their best to make sure that everything is cleared out, but we as a community just need to come together to clear some of the path, whether it’s an MBTA bus stop or curb cut or a senior that might need help.”
Janay’s sister, Sahra Ahmed, joined her to shovel snow. The 21-year-old student at Northeastern University takes the MBTA to and from class every day and said the goal is to make areas accessible, especially bus stops.
“I know how important it is to have open streets, sidewalks, where people can walk and get around,” she said.
Digging out and taking sheltering in Plymouth — 1:33 p.m.
By John Hilliard, Globe Staff
Residents in this seaside town labored Tuesday to dig out after a blizzard dropped as much as 28 inches of snow that left roads a treacherous mix of ice, slush, and slick black pavement. Trees were down in some yards, powerlines in some places too.
North Plymouth High School had been set up as an emergency shelter and as many as 40 people stayed the night, according to Fire Deputy Chief Jerome Hart.
Crews were still picking people up from their homes to bring into the shelter, Hart said.
Inside the high school, a few dozen people sat at tables or cots covered in Red Cross blankets. The sounds of young children echoed inside the school cafeteria. One woman, dressed in a winter coat, sat at a table, a dog lounging at her feet.
Providence schools to have virtual learning day on Wednesday — 1:31 p.m.
By Christopher Gavin, Globe Staff
Providence public schools will have a virtual learning day on Wednesday as the city continues to dig out from Monday’s blizzard, officials said Tuesday.
“Educators will follow their virtual learning plan. All 12-month employees will continue to work remotely and essential employees will be required to work in-person,” the district said in a statement. “This decision has been made with the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and faculty as our top priority.”
All afterschool activities on Wednesday will be canceled, officials said.
New Bedford schools to remain closed Wednesday, mayor says — 1:29 p.m.
By Omar Mohammed, Globe Staff
New Bedford got 37 inches of snow on Monday, the highest total in the city’s history, Mayor Jon Mitchell said Tuesday.
“We just got walloped,” he said.
City workers are focused on plowing main streets, Mitchell said, but there’s a lot of work to be done on side streets. New Bedford has about 300 miles of roadway.
About 5,000 customers lost power Monday, but that number has fallen to 3,400 Tuesday, he said.
“We did lose the police headquarters for a time, but they were on generator power,” he said. ”That worked out fine. They are back up and running now – they are plugged in.”
Mitchell said schools will be closed on Wednesday. The city’s regional airport was also closed. But the Port of New Bedford was set to re-open on Tuesday.
“I declared a state of emergency two days ago that remains in place,” he said. “The city is still effectively shut down and so there will be plowing, as I said, going on all day long and, the best thing that people can do is to stay off the roads.”
With so much snow in Plymouth, even ducks are struggling to fly — 1:21 p.m.
By John Hilliard, Globe Staff
As Linda Buckley dug out from knee-high snow Tuesday morning on Rocky Hill Road, she spotted a low-flying duck that struggled to stay aloft.
The bird landed on the snow-laden street in front of Buckley’s home and planted its feathered behind in the slush. It came to a rest, however, directly in the path of vehicles lumbering down the street.
Buckley leapt to the duck’s defense, shouting to alert drivers.
“He can’t fly! He was swaying across the road!” said the 77-year-old carefully made her way down the steep driveway to the street. “I’ve got to save him!”
Buckley and her husband, Michael, 78, are no strangers to bad weather. They moved from Hyde Park to Plymouth during that awful winter of 2015, just in time for a series of snowstorms to pummel their new home.
On the pavement of Rocky Hill Road, Linda Buckley chased the duck a few dozen feet — it might have had an injured wing, but its legs worked fine — before she picked it up and held it in a gentle embrace. She planned to keep the duck safe under a blanket while they called animal control.
“Sweetheart,” Buckley said to the duck, “let’s get you someplace warm.”
Healey to speak in Fall River on storm cleanup efforts — 1:18 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Governor Maura Healey will brief the public on storm cleanup efforts Tuesday afternoon in Fall River, said Mayor Paul E. Coogan’s office.
Healey, Coogan, and other officials will speak at the briefing set for 1:30 p.m. at the First Step Inn, which has been converted to a temporary warming shelter, on Durfee Street, a statement said.
Oceanfront neighborhood in Marshfield suffers flooding — 12:50 p.m.
By Camilo Fonseca, Globe Staff
Town officials in Marshfield warned of flooding in the oceanfront neighborhood of Brant Rock as nearly half of the town remained without power Tuesday morning.
“The wind gusts have downed trees and ice packs have slowed the waters from receding as the tide goes out,” town administrator Peter Morin said by email.
Videos on social media appear to show waves breaching the seawall and pouring into the street.
Residents are asked to avoid the Brant Rock area “particularly at high tide.” High-water rescue vehicles are on hand for houses that require evacuation.
Morin said Monday’s blizzard was “far worse” than previous storms. About 46 percent of residents – 5,800 homes – were without power on Tuesday morning.
Damages will likely reach “the several hundred thousand dollar range,” Morin said.
“Marshfield went into [a] snow deficit in late January,” he said. “Managing the storm costs without assistance will strain an already challenging financial position. Many towns are in the same predicament.”
Driscoll to tour Fall River warming center — 12:45 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll will visit a Fall River warming center Tuesday afternoon amid the ongoing storm recovery efforts.
Driscoll is scheduled to arrive at the warming center at the First Step Inn on Durfee Street at 1:30 p.m.
Driscoll’s office said she’ll be available to brief reporters outside.
How did the Blizzard of ‘78 compare to Monday’s mega-nor’easter? — 12:33 p.m.
By Ken Mahan, Globe Staff
A day that will go down in — the weather history books. With over 2 to 3 feet having fallen across Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts on Monday, comparisons are being made to the legendary Blizzard of 1978, and rightly so.
Both blizzards followed nearly the exact storm tracks and underwent rapid intensification — both strengthened into massive bomb cyclones — delivering hurricane-force winds and heavy, accumulating snow.
Here are some of the top snowfall stats between the two mega-storms:
Top snow totals for Blizzard of ’78
- Massachusetts: Auburn, Hudson, Lunenburg, Milford – 36 inches
- Rhode Island: Woonsocket: 38 inches
Top snow totals for Blizzard of ’26
- Massachusetts: Dartmouth – 37 inches
- Rhode Island: T.F Green Airport/Warwick – 37.9 inches
The Blizzard of ’78 was just a touch more intense than Monday’s blizzard, but ultimately, they both belong in the same discussion as two of the most impactful winter storms the region has ever seen. The Blizzard of ‘78 was particularly catastrophic, causing about 100 deaths along the East Coast and injuring hundreds more.
Eversource: Restoring power for all customers may take a ‘couple days’ — 12:23 p.m.
By Emily Sweeney, Globe Staff
As more than 250,000 customers in Massachusetts wait for power to be restored, crews are working to assess the damage and make necessary repairs.
Just over 230,000 are customers of Eversource, and it will take days to get the lights back on for all of them, according to Doug Foley, Eversource’s president of electric operations in Massachusetts.
“It will take days. It is a multi-day restoration, but that is really for the last couple customers,” Foley said at a press conference on Tuesday in Yarmouth. “We’ll be restoring today, and that will continue for the next couple days, but the last couple customers, unfortunately, will be a couple days out.”
Foley said two helicopters and drones are being used to help assess the damage, and additional snow removal equipment has been brought in.
“Our restoration philosophy is to do the largest circuits, to pick up the largest customers as quickly as possible,” Foley said. “But as we get into the neighborhoods and get into the backyards, it’s a little bit difficult for the crews to trudge through the snow, identify what’s wrong and make the repairs. So just the fact that we’re dealing with the wintry amount of snow that’s down here — 27, 30 inches of snow — it’s just going to take time for the crews to trudge through the snow and make those repairs.”
”We also are getting additional resources over to Martha’s Vineyard,” he said. “We do have full time employees over there, but we typically bring in additional contractors and tree crews to help out. And we’re working closely with the Steamship Authority to get some additional resources over there.”
Foley thanked customers for their patience as they work to get the lights back on for everyone.
“We know how difficult it is not to have electricity, and certainly, a cold, wintry day here in New England is tough for all of us, and I appreciate their patience,” he said.
Providence mayor asking Boston, CT mayors for help plowing — 12:21 p.m.
By Steph Machado, Globe Staff
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley is asking other mayors – including in Boston, Hartford, and Bridgeport, Conn. – if they can lend a hand in Providence after the city saw about three feet of snow during Monday’s blizzard.
“I’ve been on the phone with mayors from other states that were less impacted by snow to see if they are able to support our snow plowing efforts,” Smiley said. “All of our crews are out in every neighborhood, but with historic snow levels I am actively calling in leaders from across the region for additional snow removal support.”
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday on Smiley’s request.
Providence still has a citywide ban on street parking in place until further notice, and police have towed hundreds of cars and ticketed more than 1,200. Plows are in “full force in every ward” and are prioritizing emergency routes, main roads, hospital routes and overpasses, spokesperson Josh Estrella said.
Side roads are requiring at least one pass by a heavy-duty front-loader before a traditional plow can get through, Estrella said. Many plows and even tow trucks got stuck in the snow on Monday and needed rescuing. He said trucks are also hauling snow away to pile it in parking lots around the city.
See where the highest wind gusts occurred during Monday’s blizzard — 12:19 p.m.
By Christina Prignano and Daigo Fujiwara-Smith, Globe Staff
Hurricane-force winds swept the region Monday as a blizzard slammed into southern New England, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of customers.
The map below shows peak wind gusts reported to the National Weather Service. Most of the strongest gusts were recorded around southern Rhode Island, the Cape, and the islands. Use the map below to see the highest recorded wind gusts in your area.
Healey lifting travel ban at noon — 12:00 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Governor Maura Healey lifted the travel ban at noon Tuesday that had been in effect since Monday for Bristol, Plymouth, Barnstable, and Dukes counties, but her office urged residents to continue to exercise caution.
In a statement, Healey’s office confirmed the noontime lifting of the ban and said residents should remain home if possible to allow for a smooth plowing and cleanup operation.
“Our teams continue to be out in full force to support cities and towns after this storm, providing equipment and personnel to help with snow removal and other efforts,” Healey said.
“We know that there are still many households without power, and the utilities are working hard to assess damage and restore power as quickly and safely as possible.”
Healey to tour warming center in Hyannis — 11:55 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Governor Maura Healey will tour a Hyannis warming center Tuesday afternoon as the state continues its storm recovery efforts.
Healey, her office said, is scheduled to arrive at the warming center at the Barnstable Intermediate School in Hyannis around 12:30 p.m. Press is not permitted inside, officials said, but the governor will brief the media on her way out.
In addition, Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll are expected to make “additional stops in Southeastern Mass. today,” where the storm hit the hardest.
‘This was the long shot in the horse race.’ Blizzard showed limitations in forecasting — 11:33 a.m.
By Chris Gloninger, Globe Correspondent
The record-setting storm proved tricky for many meteorologists to pin down, even two days out, pointing to the challenges in weather forecasting and limitations in storm-tracking models.
“This was the long shot in the horse race that came from behind and won,” said Jay Cordeira, a New England atmospheric scientist and forecaster. “Our weather models are probably underdispersive — we don’t have enough variations to capture these types of extreme events.”
He said the storm was the kind of extreme weather event that happens once in 10 or even 30 years.
“This was just one of those that brought together all the right ingredients,” he said.
More than two-thirds of Scituate still without power, officials say — 11:30 a.m.
By Camilo Fonseca, Globe Staff
Large parts of Scituate remained without power Tuesday as blizzard cleanup efforts continued, officials said.
About 68 percent of the South Shore town had no power as of 9 a.m. Tuesday, including all of the Humarock Beach area, officials said in a social media update. Utility companies continue to assess damage and work to restore power, they said.
Numerous tree limbs and electrical wires are down in Scituate. A ban on non-essential travel remains in effect in Plymouth County.
National Grid will deploy a mobile emergency vehicle to the town, allowing residents without power to charge their devices while staying warm inside, officials said.
Scituate got hammered with 32 inches of snow, the fourth most of any town in Mass., according to the National Weather Service.
‘This is the biggest storm I can remember,’ Somerset selectman says — 11:10 a.m.
By Omar Mohammed, Globe Staff
Somerset saw 36 inches of snow on Monday.
Jamison Souza, a selectman in Somerset, woke up around 6 a.m. on Tuesday to about 2 feet of snow at his door.
He’s still stuck at home and has started to dig his way out in earnest.
“It’s going to definitely be a full day, or maybe even more to do,” he said. “The snow is extremely heavy on the bottom of it. It’s a little fluffy on the top.”
He was homebound on Monday with his family. They lost internet service and the main home phone line but did not lose power like thousands of others as the nor’easter walloped the area.
“This is the biggest storm I can remember,” he said. “I was only a year old with the ‘78 Blizzard.”
Souza lives on Riverside Avenue, a main thoroughfare, which has been plowed. Officials have said they’re trying to get to the side streets.
“I’ve been getting a lot of calls from different people on side streets … saying they haven’t got plowed out yet,” Souza said.
‘Tremendous progress:’ R.I. power outages drop below 15,000 — 11:00 a.m.
By Christopher Gavin, Globe Staff
Rhode Island Energy’s president, Greg Cornett, said the number of customers without power has dropped to about 15,000.
“I do want our customers to understand how painstaking and challenging this restoration is,” Cornett said during a press conference Tuesday morning. “We’re dealing with historic levels of snow, cold temperatures, ice on the ground.”
Cornett said he expects there will be fewer than 10,000 outages by the end of the day.
“We are making tremendous progress,” Cornett said.
Rhode Island travel ban will end at noon — 10:42 a.m.
By Steph Machado, Globe Staff
The travel ban in Rhode Island will be lifted at noon on Tuesday, Governor Dan McKee said. All vehicles, other than emergency vehicles, have been banned from roads throughout the state since 7 p.m. Sunday.
A historic three feet of snow fell on parts of Rhode Island, exceeding totals from the Blizzard of ‘78. Many roads remain unplowed, and officials warn the recovery will take days.
“We have never seen this much snow, quite frankly, in the records of Rhode Island,” McKee said.
State Police in Rhode Island report 269 spin outs, 25 crashes since travel ban took hold — 10:40 a.m.
By Christopher Gavin, Globe Staff
Rhode Island State Police have responded to at least 269 spin-outs and 25 motor vehicle crashes since the state’s travel ban went into effect Sunday night, a spokesperson said on Tuesday morning.
As of 7 a.m. Tuesday, the agency had issued 40 citations for drivers who had violated the ban that took hold at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Major Erik Yanyar said by email.
“While the ban is in effect, people can be cited if they are not an essential worker,” Yanyar wrote.
State Police have not “handled any storm-related deaths or injuries,” Yanyar wrote.
Boston, other areas clocked 6 straight hours of blizzard conditions — 10:30 a.m.
By Ken Mahan, Globe Staff
Many locations in Southern New England met the criteria for a blizzard yesterday, but Boston, and areas across Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island experienced blizzard conditions for at least six straight hours.
During a blizzard – Monday’s being the first in New England since 2022 – you only need three hours of sustained strong winds (35 mph or greater), and poor visibility with either blowing or falling snow to qualify.
Warwick, R.I. brings in heavier equipment after record snow renders pickup plows ‘ineffective,’ mayor says — 10:17 a.m.
By Christopher Gavin, Globe Staff
In Warwick, R.I., where Monday’s blizzard dumped a record-setting 37.9 inches of snow at Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport, city officials have contracted private companies to get more heavy equipment on the roads after plows on smaller vehicles struggled to cut through the snow, according to Mayor Frank Picozzi.
“Pickup trucks are ineffective right now,” Picozzi wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday morning. “We’re going as fast as we can but there’s three feet of very heavy snow to move.”
In a separate post on Monday night, Picozzi said crews had been doing their best to battle the storm, but that smaller trucks “just can’t move the tremendous weight of the snow so the big trucks and heavy equipment have to do the bulk of it.”
“It’s going to take time and we have to let the guys rest for a while,” Piccozi wrote.
These communities saw highest snowfall totals in Mass., Rhode Island — 9:55 a.m.
By Ken Mahan, Globe Staff
The Blizzard of ’26 dumped more than 3 feet of snow in many portions of Rhode Island, and well over 30 inches in parts of Massachusetts.
The National Weather Service has updated latest snowfall totals since Monday night. Here are the top snowfall totals for each state:
Massachusetts
- Dartmouth: 37 inches
- Somerset/Lakeville/Kingston: 36 inches
- Whitman: 33.7 inches
- Westport/Scituate: 32 inches
- Attleboro: 32 inches
- Norton: 31.8 inches
- Middleborough: 31.2 inches
- Berkley: 31 inches
- New Bedford: 31 inches
- West Wareham: 30.1 inches
Rhode Island
- T.F. Green Airport: 37.9 inches
- Providence: 36 inches
- North Kingstown: 36 inches
- Warren: 35.5 inches
- Newport: 34 inches
- Glocester: 33.7 inches
- Coventry: 33.5 inches
- Narragansett: 33 inches
- Exeter: 33 inches
- Pawtucket: 32 inches
More than 250,000 customers in Massachusetts still without power as utilities bring in additional crews — 9:15 a.m.
By Emily Sweeney, Globe Staff
More than 250,000 customers in Massachusetts remained without power Tuesday morning following a massive nor’easter that brought high winds and record-breaking snow to Southern New England.
As of 8:45 a.m. Tuesday, 253,972 customers across Massachusetts were without power, according to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.
Outages were widespread across Cape Cod and several towns on the South Shore.
In Provincetown, Truro, Wellfleet, Brewster, and Eastham, 100 percent of customers did not have power Tuesday morning. In Orleans, Chatham, and Falmouth it wasn’t much better, with more than 90 percent of customers were without power.
In Scituate, 71 percent of customers didn’t have power; in Plymouth, it was 70 percent; in Bourne, it was 74 percent.
Mayor Wu to join volunteers at sidewalk shoveling event in South Boston — 9:00 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Mayor Michelle Wu will join volunteers Tuesday at a sidewalk shoveling event in South Boston as the city digs out from a historic blizzard.
The “snow-shoveling meetup” event, one of several taking place across the city, will start at 1:30 p.m. at the South Boston Neighborhood House at 136 H St., Wu’s office said.
The events are bringing “volunteers together to help clear sidewalks, curb ramps and areas of concern during snow emergencies,” the mayor’s office said in a statement.
