Blizzard of 2026 leaves more than 3 feet of snow, widespread power outages in Massachusetts

The final snow totals for the Blizzard of 2026 in Massachusetts are astounding.

Southeastern Massachusetts was the jackpot zone. Fall River led the way with 41 inches of snow and there were a few more towns that reached three feet.

This was the biggest snowstorm in the recorded history of Providence, Rhode Island with more than 37.9 inches. That beat the record of 28.6 set in the Blizzard of 1978. 

Boston had 17.1 inches.

Here are the totals from the National Weather Service, Rob Macedo, the SKYWARN Coordinator for the National Weather Service in Taunton, and WBZ-TV Weather Watchers.  

Fall River 41 inches
New Bedford 37
Westport 36
North Plymouth 36
Kingston 36
Lakeville 36
Whitman 33.7
North Attleboro 32
Attleboro 32
Hanson 32
Norton 31.8
Middleboro 31.2
Brockton 31
Bridgewater 31
Wareham 30.1
Dighton 30
Seekonk 30
West Bridgewater 30
Pembroke 30
Abington 29
Taunton 29
North Scituate 29
Hanover 28.5
Rochester 25
Milton 24.1
Swansea 24
Randolph 24
Carver 23.0
Malden 20 

More than 254,000 customers were still without power in Massachusetts early Tuesday morning after a blizzard hit the state, according to MEMA. 

Eversource reported more than 230,000 of its customers in the eastern part of the state still had no electricity as of early Tuesday morning. 

The utility company said Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and other coastal communities suffered the worst damage. 

“Customers across Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Plymouth and Bristol counties and other hard-hit communities can expect to see an army of crews working around the clock over the next several days, with additional crews continuing to arrive overnight and throughout Tuesday from New Hampshire, western Massachusetts, Connecticut and other states to support the more than 1,000 crews already in the state,” Eversource said.

For the first time in more than 150 years, there will not be a print edition of the Boston Globe Tuesday due to the blizzard. The Globe called it an “unprecedented decision.”

The Boston Globe said its printing press is in Taunton, and staff could not safely get there. Taunton got more than two feet of snow during Monday’s storm. 

Print subscribers will have to wait until Wednesday to receive both the Tuesday and regularly scheduled Wednesday edition of the paper. 

As the storm moves out to sea, WBZ-TV executive weather producer Terry Eliasen shared some stats from the Blizzard of 2026. 

It was the biggest snowstorm in recorded history in Providence, Rhode Island, with 37.9″ of snow by Monday night. 

The total in Boston was up to 16.9″ by Monday evening. The storm put the city over 60″ for the season, the first above average snowfall season in four years. 

The 16″ of snow Worcester got from the storm puts the city well over six feet for the winter season to date.

In the jackpot zone in Plymouth and Bristol counties, snowfall rates reached as high as 4-5″ per hour at times. 

A person who was injured in a snowblower accident in Cohasset was carried to an ambulance down the street by police officers and paramedics during the blizzard. 

According to Cohasset police, the ambulance then got stuck and had to be shoveled out. 

A picture posted by Cohasset police on Facebook shows the first responders carrying the patient during the heavy snow on Monday. 

No other information has been released by police.

The MBTA says it will focus on snow removal on Tuesday and offer reduced transit service as a result.

“Riders who need to travel tomorrow should be safe, budget extra travel time, anticipate longer wait times between trains and buses, many of which will continue to operate on their Snow Routes, and to be patient while cleanup efforts continue,” the T said in a statement.

Buses and subways will run on reduced schedules that are similar to Sunday service. Commuter Rail lines will operate on reduced storm schedules. Ferry service is expected to return Tuesday morning. 

The RIDE paratransit service is canceled on Tuesday.

Several National Guard members and pieces of equipment were deployed to Pembroke during the blizzard.

In addition, MassDOT sent a loader to help Pembroke Department of Public Works crews clearing the roads. The Pembroke Fire Department said travel remains extremely dangerous.

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell has requested assets from the Massachusetts National Guard and MassDOT to assist with plowing and snow removal efforts.

Earlier in the day, Duxbury had a similar request. Healey said she sent four guardsmen and equipment to assist.

New Bedford is leading the way in the state with 30 inches of snow so far.

Snow totals in southeastern Massachusetts are well ahead of the rest of the state as of Monday afternoon.

At one point in the morning, snow was falling at a rate of four inches per hour there.

Here are the latest snow totals from the National Weather Service, Rob Macedo, the SKYWARN Coordinator for the National Weather Service in Taunton, and WBZ-TV Weather Watchers.

Somerset 31.0 inches
New Bedford 30.0
Dighton 27.1
Taunton 27.0
Swansea 26.5
Norton 26.3
Acushnet 26.0
Plymouth 25.0
Scituate 25.0
Lakeville 25.0
Westport 25.0
Whitman 24.8
Foxboro 24.5
Dartmouth 24.0
Pembroke 24.0

Boston has 14.4 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service’s official measurement site at Logan Airport.

Worcester has 13.3 inches.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey issued a travel ban in Bristol, Plymouth, and Barnstable counties Monday afternoon due to the Blizzard of 2026. The travel ban was later extended to Martha’s Vineyard. 

Healey activated an additional 150 members of the Massachusetts National Guard to assist with the response. There are now 350 members activated. 

It’s been a very memorable and dangerous storm in southeastern Massachusetts.

“This is one that is at the top of the scale for anything they ever see, in terms of snowfall,” said WBZ-TV chief meteorologist Eric Fisher.

The highest snow totals in Massachusetts have been in that part of the state. Swansea, New Bedford, Dartmouth, Attleboro, Somerset and Taunton all had two feet or more Monday afternoon.

At one point, snow was falling at a rate of four inches an hour in southeastern Massachusetts, according to Fisher.

Power outages across Massachusetts have soared as heavy, wet snow and fierce wind gusts pummeled the state Monday.

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) said more than 285,000 homes and businesses had no electricity in the blizzard as of 3 p.m. The demand for information intensified so much the agency’s website crashed at one point.

Southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod and the Islands have been hit the hardest. Peak wind gusts have topped 80 miles an hour in some areas.

“Our crews are doing the best that they can,” Olessa Stepanova, a spokesperson for Eversource, told WBZ News. “Safety and access is going to dictate the pace of restoration. So, we’re just asking customers to be patient and prepare for a long duration event.”

“We do ask customers to allow us anywhere from 72 to 120 hours to restore, so 3 to 5 days potentially, in some of those areas that are hardest to reach.”

A plow truck fell into a sinkhole Monday morning in Winthrop, where multiple water main breaks have been reported.

“I was coming up the street and I heard a big pop. I look out and he’s sinking,” witness Scott Portrait said. 

It took hours for crews to remove the truck from the hole on Marshall Street. Residents in the area are also dealing with flooded basements and disruptions in water service.  

Duxbury has been hit hard by the storm with impassable roads, and several trees landing on houses.

As a result, the Duxbury Fire Department has requested assistance from the Massachusetts National Guard. On Sunday, Gov. Maura Healey deployed 200 members of the National Guard in advance of the storm in an effort to help communities seeing major impacts.

The Blizzard of 2026 is giving some kids and teachers in Massachusetts another day of vacation.

School closings for Tuesday started coming in Monday afternoon. Schools were closed in Massachusetts last week for winter break. They were scheduled to return to class Monday, before the storm changed everyone’s plans.

New Hampshire schools are closed this week for their winter vacation.

A major reason for the widespread power outages in Massachusetts during the blizzard has been the wind.

Peak wind gusts in southeastern Massachusetts, the Cape and the Islands were incredibly high Monday.

Nantucket recorded a peak wind gust of 83 miles per hour just after 9 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.

Wellfleet, Chatham, Hull and the west end of Falmouth all topped 70 mph.

Members of the Boston University men’s hockey team didn’t let the snow stop them from getting to practice.

Terriers players were in full uniform as they walked through the blizzard to get a skate in.

You know it’s a bad storm when Market Basket is closed.

All Massachusetts locations of the regional supermarket chain closed down at noon on Monday.

Market Basket stores in New Hampshire and Maine will stay open. 

Water main breaks flooded streets in Winthrop Monday morning during the blizzard. The Department of Public Works responded in an attempt to restore water service after multiple breaks, saying people are encouraged to limit water usage.

Lauren Foley shared video from Girdlestone Road that showed a plow truck driving through the flooded street.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey will have an update on the Blizzard of 2026 Monday afternoon.

She’s holding a news conference at the state’s Emergency Operations Center on Route 9 in Framingham at 3 p.m.

You can watch it live on CBS News Boston at 3 p.m.

Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) Director Dawn Brantley and Massachusetts State Police Deputy Colonel Daniel Tucker will join the governor at the briefing.

It may take more than a day for Boston’s Logan Airport to get back to normal after the blizzard.

Massport interim CEO Ed Freni told WBZ-TV they’re hoping to get two runways open on Tuesday, but “it’s going to be slow.”

“They will probably bring a slightly smaller schedule back together Tuesday morning as we ramp up to try to bring a full schedule by Wednesday,” he said.

The snow is really coming down in southeastern Massachusetts. New Bedford and Dartmouth have already hit the two foot mark.

Boston had about ten inches of snow as of 11 a.m.

Here are the latest snow totals from the National Weather Service, Rob Macedo, the SKYWARN Coordinator for the National Weather Service in Taunton, and WBZ-TV Weather Watchers.  

New Bedford 24.0
Dartmouth 24.0
Swansea 24.0
Foxboro 21.5
Rochester 19.0
Somerset 18.0
Berkley 17.2
Fairhaven 16.0
Hanover 16.0
Walpole 15.5
Freetown 15.0

WBZ-TV News viewer Jaelyn Kateches sent this photo of the snow in her yard in Rehoboth, where there’s nearly two feet.

The snowstorm officially became the blizzard of 2026 in Boston and several parts of Massachusetts Monday morning.

According to WBZ-TV meteorologist Terry Eliasen, these airport data centers have met blizzard criteria – Boston, Bedford, Beverly, Chatham, Falmouth/Otis, Hyannis and Worcester. More locations are expected as the storm drags on.

The National Weather service defines a blizzard as “considerable falling and/or blowing snow” that reduces visibility to less than a quarter of a mile with “sustained wind or frequent gusts to 35 miles an hour or greater.” Those conditions must last for at least three hours to be a blizzard.

The last blizzard in Boston was four years ago in January 2022.

According to the Bourne Police Department, travel conditions are “near impossible at this time.”

Police said about 60% of Bourne is without power. They shared photographs that included a tree that brought down power lines.

Snowstorm or winter hurricane? 

An “eye” of the storm is visible from this NOAA satellite image on Monday morning.

Planning to order in on the snow day? 

DoorDash paused food delivery operations in Boston at 9 p.m. Sunday night, and it was still unavailable Monday morning because of the weather.

“We’ve temporarily suspended operations across Boston today until at least 12pm ET, but we’re still closely monitoring conditions,” a spokesperson for DoorDash told WBZ-TV. 

A Grubhub spokesperson said their service is paused in “several Massachusetts markets,” including Boston, to keep drivers safe.

“We’re monitoring conditions closely and will consider resuming operations only when safe to do so,” the spokesperson said.

A Kingston snow plow driver narrowly avoided injury when a tree branch crashed through his windshield.

The Kingston Police Department shared a photo of the damage, saying that the branch landed between the operator’s legs’, “missing impaling him by inches”

“There is no sugar-coating this. It’s bad out here. The worst in years and it’s not over yet,” police said.

The Wellfleet Police Department said the town is seeing “severe damage” during Monday’s storm.

Police said there has been damage to power lines and trees and some roads are impassable. 

Massachusetts highway administrator Jonathan Gulliver reminded drivers that they should stay off the roads if possible.

He said conditions are rough, but he expects main roads to be back to normal by Tuesday.

The wind is a major issue with the snowstorm across Massachusetts.

Here are the latest measurements so far, with some towns recording peak wind gusts of more than 70 miles per hour.

One of the official qualifications for a storm to become a blizzard includes sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or greater for more than three hours.

Visibility is also terrible outside, so stay inside while you can.

WBZ-TV’s Levan Reid was checking on the conditions in Sandwich, Massachusetts when he found someone out for a walk.

“It’s a different environment, man. You feel a different vibe of what’s going on here. We see it all day long how it is. Then you get gusts like that. You just enjoy it. It’s a different way to see it. I grew up here, so to get to enjoy it is beautiful,” the man named Justin said.

Snow totals are rising rapidly in eastern Massachusetts.

Here are the latest amounts from the National Weather Service, Rob Macedo, the SKYWARN Coordinator for the National Weather Service in Taunton, and WBZ-TV Weather Watchers.  

New Bedford 16.5 inches
Foxboro 16.0
Dartmouth 16.0
Taunton 13.0
West Bridgewater 11.5
Hanover 11.0
Norton 10.3
Mansfield 10.0
Westwood 10.0

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu urged everyone to stay home on Monday, and so far it appears most people are listening.

WBZ-TV’s Penny Kmitt reported from Boston, where there weren’t many people on the streets.

T.F. Green International Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island has suspended operations because of the snowstorm.

The airport, a popular alternative to Logan Airport in Boston, posted on social media that it “will resume operations as soon as it is safe to do so.”

More than 16 inches of snow has fallen in Warwick so far.

“Passengers are advised to contact their airline directly for the most up-to-date information regarding flight cancellations, delays, and rebooking options,” the airport said in a statement.

Logan Airport is still open, but 969 flights in and out of Boston were canceled Monday.

It’s so windy near the Marshfield coastline that much of the heavy snow that’s falling is sticking to homes and power lines before it hits the ground.

WBZ-TV meteorologist Jacob Wycoff reported live near Brant Rock, where the nor’easter could bring coastal impacts before the storm is over.

The nor’easter is dumping a lot of snow across southeastern Massachusetts.

That part of the state has the highest snow totals so far. New Bedford has 16.5 inches as of 7:45 a.m. Taunton had 13 inches.

Boston’s first official measurement came in around 7:30 a.m. at 5.2 inches so far.

The Mansfield Police Department and tow truck drivers were dealing with stranded motorists just after 7 a.m. on Route 140.

Police said they responded to over a dozen calls for cars stuck in the snow over the course of about an hour. 

“Please avoid travel if you can,” police posted.

About 5-to-6 inches of snow have fallen in Boston so far, but there has been no official update yet from the National Weather Service measurement site at Logan Airport.

Here are the latest snow totals as of 7:30 a.m. Monday:

Millis 9.5 inches
New Bedford 9.0
Sturbridge 8.1
Hanover 8.0
Hopkinton 8.0
Falmouth 7.0
Acushnet 7.0
West Tisbury 7.0
Wayland 6.0
Middleboro 6.0
Plymouth 5.9
Northboro 5.8
Methuen 5.0

Just a few hours into the nor’easter in Massachusetts, power outages hit tens of thousands of homes and businesses.

According to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), more than 128,000 customers had no electricity as of 7:30 a.m.  

Wind gusts could reach 55-to-70 miles per hour or higher across southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands.

The heavy, wet snow is also expected to bring down trees and power lines across the state.

The nor’easter has arrived in Massachusetts and several inches of snow fell across the state before sunrise.

Here’s the latest weather forecast for Monday from WBZ-TV meteorologist Jason Mikell.

More than two feet of snow could fall in southeastern Massachusetts in Monday’s nor’easter.

The storm is hitting much of the East Coast with heavy snow and dangerous winds.

You can follow the track of the storm all day and night with WBZ-TV’s live coverage on CBS News Boston and in our weather radar below.

The size and strength of this nor’easter means this could easily be a top ten all-time snowstorm for Boston, the second of this winter.

Up to two feet of snow is forecast in the city and more than two feet in southeastern Massachusetts.

This winter has been similar to the historic winter of 2014-15 in Boston.

In order to break the top 10 biggest snowstorm list for Boston, this storm would have to drop 21.4 inches of snow or more.

There are hundreds of flight cancellations at Logan Airport in Boston Monday as a potentially historic nor’easter hit Massachusetts.

As of 4 a.m., there were 967 cancellations in and out of Boston, according to tracking site FlightAware.

More than a dozen flights were delayed.