Power and cleanup after New England blizzard: Tuesday recap

The nor’easter that barreled through New England on Monday left officials and residents in Greater Boston and beyond digging out from a historic storm, and raised questions about power and community recovery. The Blizzard of ’26 dumped more than two — and even three — feet of snow in parts of the region, forcing shutdowns and prompting an intense cleanup effort.

Power, roads and supplies

The nor’easter shut down streets, schools, and businesses across the region and buried southern New England in record amounts of snow. Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts bore the brunt of the storm, with more than three feet of snow recorded at T. F. Green Airport in Warwick. Details about power outages and restorations are unclear in the provided context.

Snow totals and records

Monday’s Blizzard of ’26 left more than 3 feet of snow in many portions of Rhode Island and well over 30 inches in parts of Massachusetts. The story noted top snowfall totals for each state and their previous record, but the specific state-by-state totals and prior records are not listed in the provided context.

Prep rush and cannabis sales

Ahead of the history-making blizzard, people rushed to stock up on groceries, flashlights, shovels — and, for some, weed. Several dispensaries said sales skyrocketed ahead of Monday’s storm, just as they did in January. State data show that on each of the two days prior to January’s snowstorm, pot sales across Massachusetts eclipsed those of last year’s 4/20 holiday — one of the most revenue-rich days for cannabis sellers — by more than $2 million.

Interstate aid and equipment

Vermont and Connecticut agreed to send equipment and people to help Rhode Island dig out. 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. Hart added that McKee also asked other New England states for help 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.

Mosque closures, Ramadan disruptions

The Islamic Society of Boston, the largest mosque in New England, reopened on Tuesday starting with early afternoon prayers, Imam Abdulqadir Farah said. 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. "

Farah said the Cambridge location will resume offering iftar on Tuesday; that location offers iftar every day during the month of Ramadan, while the Roxbury location provides the meal on weekends. Hundreds of people attend both locations for taraweeh prayers. "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 remainder of that comment is unclear in the provided context.

Local scenes and reactions

In Easthampton, The Verb is Herb was packed all weekend, Karen Croisetiere, who checks customers’ IDs at the door there, said. Some customers hopped the border from Connecticut to grab their snow day essentials as late as 8 p. m. on Sunday night — 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. "

Officials and residents continued to dig out Tuesday, with equipment on the way and requests for mutual aid circulating among cities and states. Here are the key, confirmed facts drawn from coverage of the cleanup: the nor’easter struck on Monday; it is being called the Blizzard of ’26; more than 3 feet fell in many parts of Rhode Island and well over 30 inches in parts of Massachusetts; local dispensaries and customers surged purchases ahead of the storm; interstate assistance was mobilized; and mosque closures interrupted Ramadan programming until reopenings on Tuesday.