Southeastern Massachusetts remains gripped by the aftermath of a historic nor’easter that dumped upwards of three feet of snow in some areas, leaving roughly 250,000 homes and businesses without power as of Tuesday morning. A travel ban remains in effect for much of the region, as crews work to clear roads and restore electricity, a process officials warn could take several days. The storm, now being referred to as the Blizzard of 2026, brought widespread disruption to travel, schools, and daily life across the state.
The storm’s impact was particularly severe in southeastern Massachusetts, with Bristol and Plymouth counties, all of Cape Cod, and Martha’s Vineyard under a non-essential travel ban issued by Gov. Maura Healey. Violators face a $500 fine, as officials prioritize snow removal and emergency access. While some restrictions on trucks were lifted on major highways overnight, the ban remains in place for roads on the South Coast and Cape, according to MassDOT. Commuters are advised to avoid unnecessary travel as conditions remain hazardous.
Power Outages Continue to Plague Southeastern Massachusetts
More than a quarter of a million Massachusetts residents woke up to a second day without power. Eversource president of Massachusetts electric operations, Doug Foley, stated it could take three to five days to fully restore power, a timeline echoed by National Grid for “the majority of impacted customers.” The hardest-hit areas are the Cape and South Shore, with 100% of households in Outer Cape communities like Provincetown and Wellfleet currently without electricity, according to the state’s outage map. Approximately 70% of households in coastal South Shore towns like Scituate and Plymouth are also in the dark. Eversource is bringing in additional crews from western Massachusetts and Novel Hampshire to assist with restoration efforts on the Cape and Plymouth.
Travel Disrupted Across the Region
The travel ban in southeastern Massachusetts is intended to allow plow crews to clear roads and facilitate power restoration. Amtrak resumed service between Boston and New York at 8 a.m. Tuesday, after suspending operations on Monday, though many cancellations are still being reported. Logan Airport remains significantly impacted, with over 454 flights cancelled—roughly half of all scheduled departures and arrivals—according to FlightAware. The airport effectively shut down on Monday, with Massport officials stating they do not expect any flights to operate today.
Schools Closed, MBTA Operating on Reduced Schedule
Schools in Boston, Worcester, Cambridge, and dozens of other communities remain closed, extending February break to eleven days for many students. The MBTA is running on a reduced, Sunday-like schedule for subway, commuter rail, and buses, with longer wait times expected. Shuttle buses are replacing the Mattapan trolley, and limited ferry service is expected to resume later today. The T’s paratransit service, The Ride, remains cancelled for the day.
Boston officials are urging residents not to shovel snow into the streets, and to clear a minimum of 42 inches of sidewalk width. Neighborhood volunteer shoveling meetups are being organized throughout the city to assist residents. Parking remains banned on main streets in Boston until at least 6 p.m. Today, with snow being intentionally stored away from intersections to ease future cleanup efforts.
WBUR’s ability to broadcast on its Cape Cod signal, 89.1 FM Brewster, is also affected by the storm. Residents on the Lower, Mid and Upper Cape may be able to tune into 92.7 FM Tisbury or listen via livestream on wbur.org or the WBUR app.
The State of the Union address is scheduled for tonight, but the immediate focus for Massachusetts residents remains on recovery from the Blizzard of 2026. Officials will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as power is restored and roads become passable. Residents are encouraged to check the state’s travel ban information and local utility websites for the latest information.
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please reach out to the 988 Suicide &. Crisis Lifeline. You can connect with trained counselors by calling or texting 988 anytime in the US and Canada. In the UK, you can call 111.
Stay tuned to time.news for continuing coverage of the storm’s impact and recovery efforts. We encourage readers to share their experiences and information in the comments below.
