Blizzard of 2026: Massachusetts Travel Ban Lifted, Power Outages Continue as Eversource and National Grid Race to Restore Service
A historic nor'easter has left Massachusetts reeling this week, breaking snowfall records, triggering a Massachusetts state of emergency and mass travel ban, shutting down Boston Public Schools, and cutting power to nearly 300,000 customers. Eversource and National Grid are working around the clock as Boston news teams including WCVB and WBZ weather crews continue wall-to-wall coverage of the storm's aftermath.
Massachusetts Blizzard Snowfall Totals Shatter Records
The Blizzard of 2026 produced astounding final snowfall totals across Massachusetts. Fall River led the state with 41 inches of snow. Boston received 17.1 inches at Logan Airport. In southeastern Massachusetts, towns like Swansea, New Bedford, Dartmouth, Attleboro, Somerset, and Taunton all recorded two feet or more.
Providence, Rhode Island saw 37.9 inches of snow, breaking the city's previous record of 28.6 inches set during the Blizzard of 1978. The storm was classified as a bomb cyclone after its central pressure dropped 41 millibars within 24 hours — nearly double the threshold required for such a designation.
Massachusetts Travel Ban Lifted, State of Emergency Remains
Gov. Maura Healey lifted the non-essential travel ban for Bristol, Plymouth, Barnstable, and Dukes counties at noon Tuesday. However, the state of emergency remains in effect for some counties, and Healey urged residents to stay home if possible to allow cleanup crews to continue working safely.
The state of emergency was lifted for Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties. Travel restrictions remain in effect for roadways on the South Shore, the Cape and Islands, and along I-495. Violators caught on the roads during the ban period faced a $500 fine.
Power Outages Massachusetts: Eversource and National Grid Outage Map Updates
Power was out for approximately 290,000 customers in Massachusetts at the peak of the storm. As of Tuesday, Eversource officials confirmed they had restored power to 145,000 customers since the storm began, with more than 2,000 line crews deployed across the state — many focused on Cape Cod, where entire communities remained in the dark.
Eversource spokesperson Olessa Stepanova warned customers to prepare for a long restoration effort, saying crews may require 72 to 120 hours to reach the hardest-hit areas given deep snowpacks, downed lines, and difficult driving conditions. The National Grid outage map showed similar widespread impact, with the utility also giving a three-day restoration timeline for the majority of customers.
Rhode Island Energy reported approximately 39,881 customers without power at peak, concentrated in Washington and Providence counties. Crews from as far as Detroit, Ohio, and Canada traveled to assist in restoration efforts in southeastern Massachusetts.
Massachusetts State of Emergency and National Guard Activation
Gov. Healey activated an additional 150 members of the Massachusetts National Guard to assist with the storm response, bringing the total to 350 activated members. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency opened emergency operations across multiple regional centers.
Weather Channel veteran Jim Cantore was on the ground in Plymouth, where he experienced and reported live thundersnow — the rare phenomenon of lightning during a blizzard — as it crackled live over the town. Wind gusts on Nantucket hit a peak of 83 mph, while Logan Airport clocked gusts of 59 mph before 7 a.m. ET.
School Closings MA: Boston Public Schools Shuttered
Mayor Michelle Wu announced Boston Public Schools would be closed Tuesday, February 24, after the city recorded nearly 17 inches of snowfall in 24 hours. The District made the decision to allow crews to sufficiently clear sidewalks and widen roadways for children, families, and the 700-bus fleet across all streets.
Several Massachusetts school districts remained closed on Wednesday, February 25, with more snow possible during the morning commute. Boston was among the cities expected to reopen schools Wednesday, marking more than 11 days of school closings during the February vacation and storm period.
When Will Power Come Back? What Residents Need to Know
The Cape Cod communities of Provincetown, Truro, Wellfleet, Eastham, and Brewster were 100% without power at the height of the storm. Chatham hit 94% outage, Falmouth 93%, and Mashpee 89%. National Grid and Eversource both estimated three to five days for full service restoration across the hardest-hit areas.
Residents are urged to check the Eversource outage map at eversource.com or call 1-800-286-2000. National Grid customers can monitor restoration progress at nationalgridus.com or by calling 1-800-465-1212. Rhode Island Energy outages can be reported by texting OUTAGE to 743674 or calling 855-743-1101. Anyone without heat should call 211 for information on warming centers.
