Power and Plows: New England digs out as mutual aid heads to Rhode Island

The nor’easter that barreled through New England on Monday left communities digging out after a storm whose Power packed more than two feet of snow in many places. Relief and recovery are now the focus as officials mobilize equipment, dispensaries report surging sales ahead of the storm, and religious institutions restart Ramadan programs disrupted by the closures.

Power and T. F. Green Airport snow totals

The storm dropped more than two — and even three — feet of snow in parts of the region. Monday’s Blizzard of ’26 delivered more than 3 feet in many portions of Rhode Island and well over 30 inches in parts of Massachusetts. T. F. Green Airport in Warwick recorded more than three feet of accumulation. A compiled list of top snowfall totals for each state and their previous records was prepared as communities measured the storm’s reach.

Governor Maura Healey emergency orders and travel restrictions

State officials moved to limit movement as the nor’easter approached. Governor Maura Healey issued a statewide state of emergency and restricted non-essential vehicle travel in some counties, a step that preceded a flurry of last-minute shopping and travel. Some residents crossed the Connecticut border to stock up as late as 8 p. m. on Sunday night, hours after the emergency declaration and travel restrictions were put in place.

Vermont and Connecticut send front-end loaders, Governor Dan McKee coordinates requests

Rhode Island appealed for assistance and neighboring states responded. Laura Hart, a spokesperson for Governor Dan McKee, said Vermont and Connecticut 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 and is in discussions with them. Earlier in the day, Mayor Brett Smiley asked the mayors of Boston, Hartford, Bridgeport and other cities that were not as hard-hit as Providence if they could send plows to help with the cleanup.

Easthampton’s The Verb is Herb and the cannabis rush before the storm

In the days before the storm people rushed to stock up on groceries, flashlights, shovels — and, for some, cannabis. Several dispensaries saw sales spike in the run-up, mirroring a similar surge 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 by more than $2 million. Easthampton’s The Verb is Herb was packed all weekend, and Karen Croisetiere, 63, who checks customers’ IDs at the door, said business stayed brisk. Some customers drove across the border from Connecticut as late as 8 p. m. Sunday. "Our customers are pretty rabid, " Croisetiere said. "People need their weed. "

Islamic Society of Boston reopens and Ramadan services resume in Cambridge

The storm interrupted religious life at a sensitive moment. The Islamic Society of Boston, which has locations in Roxbury and Cambridge, had been closed since Sunday night because of the storm, halting its Ramadan program. The mosque reopened on Tuesday, beginning with early afternoon prayers, Imam Abdulqadir Farah said. The Cambridge location resumed offering iftar on Tuesday; that location offers iftar every day during Ramadan, while the Roxbury location provides the meal on weekends. Hundreds of people attend both locations for taraweeh prayers. Farah said the communal aspect of Ramadan — "breaking fast together and just having a meal and sharing a meal and laughing with people" — had been missed. The original report on the mosque’s disruption included a sentence that was left incomplete in the provided material and is unclear in the provided context.

What makes this notable is how the storm’s concentrated impact on Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts forced a mix of emergency measures and ad hoc responses: travel restrictions and state emergencies curbed movement even as municipalities and neighboring states mobilized plows and heavy equipment. The timing matters because Ramadan observances were underway when the storm struck, interrupting communal meals and nightly prayers just as crews and volunteers begin the heavy work of clearing streets and restoring routines.