Travel Ban Massachusetts: Travel ban issued for parts of Massachusetts after monster storm
A historic bomb cyclone that accelerated into a bomb cyclone over the region forced a travel ban massachusetts in four hard-hit counties and left communities digging out from more than two feet of snow. The storm knocked out power for hundreds of thousands, closed schools and snarled travel across southern New England.
Travel Ban Massachusetts hits Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes and Plymouth
Governor Maura Healey issued a travel ban in the four hardest hit counties: Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes and Plymouth. The ban targets non-essential vehicle travel in a huge section of Southeastern Massachusetts because of dangerous road conditions and is the state’s first travel ban in over a decade. Those caught violating the travel ban could face a $500 fine.
Storm intensified into bomb cyclone; rapid pressure drop defined bombogenesis
The nor’easter accelerated on Sunday night into a bomb cyclone, undergoing bombogenesis with its central pressure dropping 24 millibars or greater within 24 hours. The historic system walloped the region on Monday and produced the first blizzard to hit New England since 2022.
Record 24-hour snowfall in Whitman and other heavy totals across the region
Whitman recorded 33. 7 inches, setting a record for a 24-hour snowfall total; the previous 24-hour record was 29 inches in Natick during the April Fools’ Day storm in 1997. Logan Airport in Boston measured 16. 9 inches Monday night, and some city neighborhoods received higher amounts. Dighton, New Bedford, Swansea and Taunton all reported snow totals of more than two feet from Monday’s nor’easter.
Coastal wind damage and extreme gusts on Nantucket and the Islands
The storm lashed coastal areas, with some towns on Cape Cod and the Islands recording winds topping 70 miles per hour. Nantucket was blasted by a 78-mph wind gust, the strength of a Category 1 hurricane, shortly after 10: 30 a. m. The system paralyzed road travel and grounded hundreds of local flights.
Power outages, access problems and multiday restoration warnings
The storm knocked out power to more than a quarter-million residents. As of late Monday night, there were still more than 269, 534 power outages in Massachusetts. With winds slow to die down, power restoration efforts could not immediately begin; residents could be facing a "multiday power restoration, " and state officials asked the public to be patient. The main issue for getting the power back will be access for utility crews: winds need to abate in some parts of New England for crews in bucket trucks to safely reach downed lines, and roads must be clear for crews to get to problem areas.
Local reactions, school closures and emergency response complications
In Scituate, residents were told to brace for multiple days without power. Town Administrator James Boudreau said, "Things are a mess. " Jonathan Darling, a spokesperson for the city of New Bedford, said, "Thirty inches of snow is no joke, that’s for sure. " Governor Healey said during an afternoon press conference, "This storm has been a doozy. "
Dozens of school districts across the state will be closed Tuesday for a second straight day as communities begin to dig out. The MBTA will continue to operate Tuesday with reduced service. State Police reported responding to more than 400 disabled vehicles on the state’s roadways through Monday afternoon. Downed power lines, felled trees, and abandoned and stuck cars complicated the state’s response.
The storm also hit Rhode Island hard, breaking records there set by the Blizzard of ’78; by 8 p. m., the T. F. Green Airport had reached 37. 9 inches. The National Guard: unclear in the provided context.
