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Live updates: What to know about the nor’easter hitting Massachusetts
Gov. Maura Healey issued an executive order Monday afternoon barring non-essential travel on the South Coast. In Rhode Island, snowfall at T.F. Green International Airport eclipsed the record set during the Blizzard of '78.
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Storm latest:
With high winds, power outages, and more than 30 inches of snow hitting the state Monday, state officials are warning residents about the impacts of the nor’easter affecting much of the Northeast.
“This is one to take seriously,” Governor Maura Healey told reporters Sunday afternoon. “Our ask and plea, as always, is going to be to please stay off the roads for the safety of the folks who are out there trying to clear the roads, keep power on, and keep people safe.”
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Meteorologists predicted between 18 to 24 inches of snow, with the heaviest snowfall coming between 4 a.m. and noon Monday. The heavy, wet snow and high winds impacted trees and power lines, leading to outages. Southeast Massachusetts has seen some of the more significant impacts.
Follow below for the latest updates from the storm.
See the most recent snow totals here.
MBTA announces paratransit closure and multiple service changes due to ‘extreme snowfall totals’
MBTA trains, buses to run on reduced schedules, The Ride canceled for Tuesday (9 p.m. Feb. 23)
The MBTA’s Red, Orange, Blue, and Green Lines will operate at reduced levels Tuesday, while the Mattapan Line will “likely resume train service” on Tuesday morning, the MBTA said.
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“Crews will be working hard to clear snow and ice throughout the transit system tomorrow, and the public is reminded to use caution on platforms, at bus stops, when boarding/alighting trains, accessing stations, and approaching railroad crossings,” the agency said.
All bus routes will operate at reduced levels and will continue running on their snow routes, the MBTA said.
The trains’ and buses’ reduced schedules will be “similar to Sunday schedules,” according to the T.
The Commuter Rail will operate on a reduced storm schedule, the agency said.
All trips on The Ride, the agency’s paratransit service, were canceled for Tuesday. However, trips for “life-sustaining medical needs” can potentially be rebooked, the T said.
A modified weekday ferry service will “likely” resume Tuesday morning, the MBTA said.
“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 MBTA said.
The MBTA will be inspecting the heaters for track switches to make sure they are working properly. Emergency crews will be on standby Tuesday to respond to rail issues, issues impacting power systems, and switch problems, the T said.
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Generators are deployed at key locations to mitigate the risk of potential power outages, the T said.
MBTA General Manager Philip Eng told Boston 25 News that riders should plan ahead and be aware of potential delays Tuesday.
“I want to remind riders that they should be cautious even when the storm ends; there’s going to be significant cleanup, and time is needed for that, not only for the MBTA but also for transportation providers, for emergency responders, and for municipalities. They really should check the website for alerts,” he said.
Parking ban extended in Boston until 6 p.m. Tuesday (8:30 p.m., Feb. 23)
Boston’s snow emergency and parking ban has been extended until at least 6 p.m. Tuesday, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said.
Residents using the discounted parking garages across the city will need to move their car within two hours of the end of the snow emergency.
This isn’t Boston’s first huge snowstorm this winter, and Wu said the city chose to extend the parking ban to ensure plows can clear snow all the way to the curb before cars return to street parking on major arteries.
“Because we’ve had so much snow already leading into this storm, the streets team has been really getting feedback, whether it’s from our cyclist community or from neighborhood leaders or other residents, to understand how we could do things better,” Wu said, referring to the parking ban.
Boston schools closed again Tuesday as city digs itself out of snow (8:30 p.m., February. 23)
Hundreds of snow plows are at work to clear Boston’s streets as the nor’easter peters out overnight, the mayor said during an update Monday, but school will still be canceled for Tuesday.
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Wu, joined by chiefs of emergency medical services, fire, and police, thanked residents for staying inside. First responders responded to fewer EMS and fire calls than usual, Wu said.
“I know that means a lot to our first responders and plow operators were out there doing their best, and they’ve been doing that under incredibly difficult conditions,” Wu said. “We are a winter city. We’re a New England city. We know how to do this. There will be piles of snow for some time as we continue to dig out.”
The city’s public works crews had more than 900 plows and snow spreaders out at the height of the nor’easter, Wu said, and almost 700 remained on Boston streets Monday evening. While there were no reports of flooding, crews responded to reports of about 25 downed trees.
While the opening of libraries and community centers will be delayed until noon Tuesday, all other city buildings will be open. To clear the snow, crews will focus on main arteries and school access roads.
More than 676 cars parked in banned areas have been towed, Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox said. The storm likely caused a few minor accidents in intersections, but Boston Chief of Streets Nick Gove thanked delivery services Grubhub and DoorDash for temporarily suspending services. Grubhub is pausing deliveries again in Boston Monday night until the morning, a spokesperson said.
“Until this emergency is actually over, please stay off the roads and allow public safety to do their jobs and public works to, more importantly, make sure our streets and sidewalks are clear,” Cox said.
Cape Cod Hospital using generator power amid widespread power outages (6:30 p.m., Feb. 23)
A Cape Cod hospital is operating on generator power Monday evening amid power outages impacting more than 100,000 homes in the surrounding area, said State Representative Steve Xiarhos.
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As of 6 p.m. Monday, Cape Cod Hospital was using a generator to power its facilities, a spokesperson for the hospital said.
More than 133,000 Cape Cod homes were without electricity Monday afternon, Xiarhos said.
All outpatient facilities including the Urgent Care are closed, and the hospital has updated hours until Thursday, the hospital’s website read.
Workers are unable to restore power due to falling power lines and trees, high winds, and “hazardous road conditions,” Xiarhos said.
“Emergency crews are having a very difficult time responding to calls for service due to the dangerous conditions. Everyone is strongly urged to stay off the road,” Xiarhos said.
Emergency shelters have been opened at the Nauset Regional High School and Barnstable Intermediate School. Food is being provided and pets are allowed at the shelters, Xiarhos said.
Residents who need transportation to the shelters are advised to call their local police department, Xiarhos said.
Xiarhos encourages Cape Cod residents to check on their neighbors and to stay off the road unless absolutely necessary.
“The weather is expected to improve tomorrow, but for now conditions remain very treacherous,” Xiarhos said.
National Guard deployed to Mass. communities as South Shore hit especially hard by snow (6:15 p.m., Feb. 23)
The Massachusetts National Guard has been deployed to multiple communities, including multiple South Shore municipalities seeing record snowfall.
Brookline, Duxbury, Halifax, Marshfield, Pembroke, Plymouth, Quincy, and Weymouth all requested assistance from the National Guard for the storm, a spokesperson for the state’s Emergency Management Agency said.
The guard and its equipment was deployed to Pembroke to help respond to emergency calls, the Pembroke Fire Department said on Facebook. The state’s Department of Transportation also sent a loader to help clear streets.
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Duxbury officials asked people to stay off the roads, many of which are blocked by downed trees.
Yes, this storm is officially a blizzard. Here’s what meteorologists want you to know. (4 p.m.)
Meteorologists officially declared this storm a “blizzard” in areas of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, including Boston and Providence, as of Monday morning.
So, what does that mean? Is “blizzard” synonymous with “snowstorm”?
Well, not exactly. In fact, active snowfall is not necessarily essential for there to be blizzard conditions, according to local meteorologists.
Read more about the criteria for a blizzard.
Healey bans non-essential travel on South Coast (3 p.m.)
Gov. Maura Healey signed an executive order Monday barring non-essential motor vehicle travel throughout the South Coast amid persistent snowfall and dangerous road conditions.
The travel ban applies to Bristol, Plymouth, and Barnstable counties — areas that have seen heavy snowfall and power outages. Healey also set the speed limit on the Massachusetts Turnpike to just 40 mph.
“This is a serious storm, and there are dangerous road conditions out there, especially on the South Coast. We have reports of abandoned and stuck cars on the roads, and tow trucks are having difficulty getting to them,” Healey said in a statement.
She also urged Massachusetts residents statewide to stay off the roads, “for your safety and for the safety of plow drivers and emergency officials who are trying to do their jobs.”
“So far, fortunately, we’ve seen fewer crashes than usual. That’s a good thing, and I think people are paying attention and not getting on the roads,” Healey told reporters during an afternoon press conference. “But really, that needs to continue.”
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Massachusetts State Police Lt. Colonel Daniel Tucker said drivers face a $500 fine for violating the travel ban. He estimated there had been more than 350 disabled vehicles statewide as of 2 p.m.
“That’s the last thing the State Police wants to be dealing with,” he said during the press conference. “I mean, we just want the public to stay off the road and allow us to do our job, along with our partners at DOT and the National Guard.”
Healey’s office said in a news release the travel ban supports efforts to remove the staggering amount of snow that has fallen across the region over the past 24 hours. State officials will lift the travel ban when Massachusetts Department of Transportation Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver deems road conditions safe.
“MassDOT is also actively redeploying equipment to the South Coast to assist municipal partners with the snowfall,” the release noted. “Motorists should expect a reduced level of service on highways statewide for a prolonged period.”
The MBTA, meanwhile, is expected to continue its reduced service schedule Tuesday and has suspended The RIDE for now, according to Healey.
“Anybody who needs services we’re reaching out to, but we’ve got to do everything we can to limit the number of people on the roads right now,” she explained.
Healey also told reporters that Eversource and National Grid had reported a combined total of 290,000 power outages statewide, particularly on Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod, the South Coast, and some parts of the North Shore.
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“The bottom line is, this nor’easter has been, as expected, a really, really powerful storm,” Healey said, reiterating her call to stay off the roads. “Keep being good, Massachusetts, OK? Keep listening to that, and we’ll get through this.”
According to the governor’s office, those exempt from the travel ban include:
- Public safety vehicles, sworn and civilian public safety personnel, including those providing services at correctional facilities, and private sector security personnel;
- Public works vehicles and public works personnel, including contract personnel supporting public works operations;
- Public transportation vehicles and public transportation personnel, including contract personnel supporting public transportation operations;
- Government personnel conducting official business;
- Utility company vehicles and personnel, including contract personnel supporting utility response and restoration efforts;
- Personnel directly supporting storm response operations, including but not limited to emergency shelter personnel;
- Personnel supporting human services facilities, including but not limited to residential housing programs and human services shelter operations;
- Healthcare personnel, including but not limited to home healthcare personnel and personal care assistants;
- Personnel delivering or supporting services at health care facilities, including those that provide long term care and mental health care, as well as hospitals and other health care facilities;
- Vehicles and personnel providing critical supplies to health care facilities, including those that provide long term care and mental health care, as well as hospitals and other health care facilities;
- News media;
- Private sector snow removal equipment engaged in, or traveling in connection with the removal or clearance of snow and ice from public or private sector facilities;
- Patients traveling for the purpose of receiving urgent critical care, and persons traveling with those patients who are necessary to facilitate that urgent critical care;
- Travel necessary to maintain critical private sector facilities, services and operations, and to deliver or support critical private sector services and supplies in critical infrastructure sectors such as energy, fuel, financial systems, and the provision of critical commodities;
- And travel to support business operations that provide critical services to the public, including gasoline stations, pharmacies, food stores and hardware stores.
Rhode Island snowfall smashes record set during Blizzard of ’78 (2:20 p.m.)
Monday’s nor’easter has unseated the legendary Blizzard of ’78 for the greatest snowfall on record at Rhode Island’s T.F. Green International Airport.
As of 1 p.m., the storm had dumped an eye-watering 32.8 inches of snow at the Warwick airport, according to the National Weather Service, shattering 1978’s record of 28.6 inches. Ken Mahan, The Boston Globe‘s lead meteorologist, estimates Rhode Island still has a few more inches of snow in store before sunset.
As meteorologist Dave Epstein noted, snow records aren’t usually broken by such a large margin.
By comparison, Boston saw 27.1 inches of snow over the course of nearly 33 hours during the Blizzard of ’78. The city’s all-time record, according to Epstein, is 27.6 inches — set during Feb. 17-18, 2003.
Market Basket stores in Mass. close early Monday due to the blizzard (1 p.m.)
This blizzard was too much for even Market Basket to bear, it seems.
The grocery chain closed all of its Massachusetts stores early Monday — more than 50 locations — in light of the snowstorm, also shuttering several New Hampshire and Rhode Island branches.
Read more about the Market Basket closures.
Mass. plow driver survives near-impalement when tree limb crashes through truck windshield (12:30 p.m.)
Local officials continued to implore drivers to stay off the roads Monday amid blizzard conditions.
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In Kingston, a plow driver just barely missed getting impaled by a fallen tree branch, about 6 inches in diameter, which had smashed through the truck’s windshield, police shared in a Facebook post.
Read more about the near-impalement in Kingston.
Nearly 1,000 flights canceled at Logan Airport due to nor’easter
Nearly 1,000 flights were canceled at Logan International Airport on Monday morning due to a powerful nor’easter moving across Massachusetts.
Read more about the canceled flights.
Amtrak service between Boston and New York suspended due to nor’easter
Amtrak has suspended service between New York and Boston due to the powerful nor’easter sweeping the region.
Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency on Sunday due to the pending blizzard, and on Monday NWS Boston reported wind gusts of 60 to 70 miles per hour and an expected 18-24 inches of snow in the region.
Read more about suspended Amtrak services.
Delays and other impacts on MBTA service (11:30 a.m.)
Several MBTA lines got off to a rocky start Monday as heavy snow continued to blanket New England.
The transit agency previously announced its subways, buses, and trains would operate on a pared-down emergency schedule during the storm, similar to Sunday service levels. The T also replaced the Mattapan Line with shuttle buses and suspended ferry service all day Monday.
But soon after subway service began Monday morning, the Orange and Red lines both reported 15-minute delays due to signal issues. The T was able to resolve the signal issue near Wellington and clear the Orange Line delays by 6 a.m., but a similar issue on the Red Line’s Braintree Branch was still causing delays as of late Monday morning.
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An early-morning medical emergency at Haymarket also briefly slowed Orange Line service, though the T said the delays cleared shortly before 8 a.m.
On the Green Line’s C Branch, meanwhile, an accident near the Summit Avenue stop temporarily blocked service between Coolidge Corner and Cleveland Circle around 9:43 a.m. According to the T, regular service resumed about an hour later.
A signal issue near Wonderland also disrupted service on the Blue Line, with the T warning of delays up to 20 minutes. Trains may stand by at stations, the agency said at 11:17 a.m.
The MBTA is advising commuters to use caution and allow for extra travel time during Monday’s storm.
Widespread power outages reported across Massachusetts as winds reach over 70 mph near coast (Monday, 9 a.m.)
With high winds and 18 to 24 inches of snowfall expected, Boston-area meteorologists are warning of power outages across the region Monday.
As of 8:30 a.m., more than 113,000 Massachusetts residents, 14,000 Rhode Island residents, and close to 200 New Hampshire residents were experiencing power outages, according to data from multiple utility services.
Widespread power outages impacted the Cape and the Islands especially due to an “intense snow/wind blitz” and wind speeds up to over 70 mph, multiple meteorologists reported.
Keep track of the latest power outages across the region.
Boston shelters open all night for people experiencing homelessness (11:10 p.m.)
Shelters will be open around the clock for people experiencing homelessness during the record-breaking blizzard set to hit Boston early Monday morning, advocates said.
Guests at city shelters will be able to stay inside all day and no one will be turned away, a spokesperson for Pine Street Inn said.
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The nonprofit organization, the largest homeless services provider in New England, will operate day and night outreach vans to transport people to shelter and distribute warm clothes, blankets, and food and hot drinks.
Boston’s homelessness census in January showed a decline to 4.3 percent, one of the lowest rates of unsheltered homelessness in major cities, the City of Boston said. If any people choose to stay outside, outreach teams with Pine Street Inn will check on them multiple times throughout the night.
Winter warming centers in Brookline, Somerville, and Cambridge are all available overnight.
MBTA: Trains, buses running on storm schedules while ferries remain docked (10:35 p.m.)
The MBTA’s subways, buses, and trains will all operate under an emergency schedule during the storm, officials announced.
The MBTA’s trains and buses will be operating at reduced levels Monday, similar to a Sunday schedule, the transit agency announced. While officials are asking people to stay home Monday, any commuters should expect longer wait times.
The Mattapan Line will be suspended and replaced with shuttle buses on Monday, and all ferry routes will also be suspended due to wind.
“We are certainly prepared to go into this storm and give it 110 percent to keep our lines open,” COO Ryan Coholan said. “We don’t have any staffing concerns right now. We have all hands on deck to attack this incoming weather event.”
Schedules may be adjusted on Tuesday as well, Coholan said, depending on the storm’s clean-up. Icy conditions are expected on Tuesday morning for drivers.
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Commuter Rail lines will be running on reduced storm schedules, the MBTA said, and many bus lines will be detoured on their snow routes. Check the MBTA’s online schedules for specific lines.
“Unless your travel is absolutely necessary,” Coholan said, “I urge folks to stay home, stay off the roads and let all of us get out there so we can get things open back up and resume normal service.”
Doordash temporarily suspends delivery in Boston (Sunday, 8:20 p.m.)
Doordash, an app-based food delivery service, said it would pause operations in Boston due to the incoming storm.
DoorDash operations will be temporarily suspended between 9 p.m. Sunday through at least noon Monday “across Boston,” a spokesperson said, depending on conditions.
“A historic blizzard is bearing down on the Northeast,” spokesperson Julian Crowley said. “We’re suspending operations across impacted areas to keep our community safe. This is a serious storm — we’ll resume when it passes.”
Grubhub, another delivery service, is also pausing deliveries until 11 a.m., a spokesperson said. Uber Eats did not respond to inquiries from Boston.com Sunday night.
DoorDash has already shut down in New York City.
Boston declares snow emergency
All Boston schools and city buildings will be closed Monday after Mayor Michelle Wu declared a snow emergency ahead of the blizzard expected to drop to two feet of snow on the city.
The snow emergency went into effect at 2 p.m. Sunday, which also marked the start of the city’s parking ban. Vehicles parked on major roads and main arteries will be towed, the city said.
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”Preparations for snow are already underway across every neighborhood, and our City teams will be out around the clock through the nor’easter and the cleanup afterwards,” Wu said in a statement. “We ask everyone to plan ahead, stay safe and warm, and stay off the roads to help our public works and public safety efforts.”
All library branches will be closed, as well as Boston Centers for Youth & Families. Curbside trash and recycling collection is delayed one day, the city said.
Residents in most Boston neighborhoods have two days after the end of a snow emergency to use a space saver. However, space savers are banned in the South End and Bay Village.
Wet snow, wind likely to affect power
Massachusetts is expected to face significant power outages, said Rebecca Tepper, the secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
“We are expecting windy conditions and wet snow, and there is already snow on the trees. These conditions increase the likelihood of power outages due to the risk of falling trees,” Tepper said.
The utilities teams have prestaged line and tree crews on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and other areas expected to be most affected by wind and, but it may take multiple days to restore power.
Tepper also warned residents to stay away from downed wires or trees with wires on it.
“You have to assume it’s live. Do not touch it. Call 911 immediately,” Tepper said.
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