285K Without Power In MA Blizzard 2026: See Updated Snow Totals, Top Wind Gusts

Updated 5 p.m.

More than 285,000 Massachusetts customers were in the dark and cold on Monday morning at the height of a powerful winter storm that battered coastal locations with winds whipping past 80 miles per hour and forecasts of up to 30 inches or more of snow.

Several towns on the North Shore, South Shore and Cape Cod were in complete darkness, with nearly 100 percent of customers without power. Eversource reported 230,092 without power as of 12:30 p.m. National Grid reported 54,230 without power.

"These are extremely challenging and dangerous conditions for both the public and our crews," said Christopher Laird, Chief Operating Officer, National Grid New England Electric, who reported that NG had 600 crews deployed statewide as of Monday morning. "High winds, heavy snow, and poor visibility make it unsafe to perform many types of restoration work, including operating bucket trucks. While our crews are deployed and ready, weather conditions are expected to limit restoration efforts throughout the day."

Those without power are being advised that it could be days before power is fully restored.

• Blizzard Could Drop 30 Inches Of Snow In Boston Area

Several cities and towns in southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands had thousands of customers without power with some more than 90 percent in the dark.

Power outages as of 12:30 p.m. (MEMA)

• 27,220 customers — Plymouth (79 percent of customers)
• 22,885 customers — Falmouth (90 percent)
• 20,898 customers — Barnstable (66 percent)
• 14,482 customers — Dennis (66 percent)
• 12,663 customers — Yarmouth (60 percent)
• 11,053 customers — Mashpee (91 percent)
• 9,097 customers — Bourne (91 percent)
• 8,708 customers — Brewster (98 percent)
• 8,589 customers — Harwich (68 percent)
• 7,251 customers — Nantucket (50 percent)
• 6,401 customers — Eastham (98 percent)
• 6,038 customers — Orleans (98 percent)
• 5,943 customers — Provincetown (100 percent)
• 5,841 customers — Scituate (62 percent)
• 4,461 customers — Wellfleet (100 percent)
• 4,246 customers — Oak Bluffs (93 percent)
• 4,029 customers — Edgartown (67 percent)
• 3,560 customers — Truro (100 percent)

• PHOTOS: February Blizzard Pummels New England

A state of emergency was in effect across the state as snowfall rates of 2 to 4 inches per hour quickly built totals across the South Coast, South Shore and Cape Cod. Drivers were urged to stay off the roads with most municipal buildings and schools closed for the day.

• All Massachusetts Market Baskets Closed Due To Blizzard

Boston's Logan Airport, Worcester Airport, Norwood Airport, Hanscom Airport in Bedford and Beverly Airport all officially hit the meteorological definition of "blizzard conditions" as of 9 a.m.

"This was a remarkably impactful and dangerous winter storm. Road crews could not keep up with snowfall rates approaching 3 to 4 inches an hour," AccuWeather Vice President of Forecasting Operations Dan DePodwin said. "Powerful wind gusts above 50 mph and drifting snow made travel impossible in some areas.

"This blockbuster blizzard is the latest costly and exhausting storm in one of the harshest winters in
more than a decade for millions of people in the Northeast. Many roads and even major highways may be impassable for hours. People attempting to drive through this storm could end up stranded for hours in dangerous conditions."

• State Bans Driving In 3 MA Counties As Blizzard Pounds South Coast

Snow began late Sunday night with the storm ramping up in the pre-dawn hours of Monday as wind gusts ranged from 40 mph in Worcester County and the Merrimack Valley to 72 mph in Chatham, 77 mph in Wellfleet and a reported gust of 83 mph on Nantucket.

Power outages multiplied rapidly from about 10,000 without power as of 5 a.m. to more than 100,000 by 7 a.m. and nearly 250,000 by 9:30 a.m.

The National Weather Service was forecasting a widespread 12 inches or more of snow across most of eastern and central Massachusetts, with a Blizzard Warning in effect. The highest snow totals were expected to be in southeastern Massachusetts, where up to 30 inches of snow could accumulate under pockets of extreme whiteout conditions that last for hours.

Here are some of the top snow totals as of 12:30 p.m. (National Weather Service)

• 33.0 inches — Dartmouth
• 32.0 inches — Westport
• 29.3 inches — Whitman
• 28.0 inches — Plymouth
• 27.8 inches — Wareham
• 27.1 inches — Dighton
• 26.5 inches — Scituate
• 25.0 inches — Stoughton
• 24.5 inches — Hanover
• 22.5 inches — Harvard
• 20.7 inches — Rockland
• 19.0 inches — Millis
• 18.5 inches — Milford
• 17.0 inches — Winchester
• 15.2 inches — Burlington
• 13.7 inches — Worcester Airport

The winds were furious across coastal locations, with downed trees and poles taking out power lines and knocking out electricity to large swaths of eastern Massachusetts.

The snow was expected to be very heavy throughout the morning before letting up gradually from west to east over the course of the afternoon.

Areas of Worcester County and the Merrimack Valley were expected to see snow intensity wane by around noon, while areas of the Cape, Islands, Plymouth, Bristol, Essex and Suffolk counties were set to see damaging winds and heavy snow continue well into the afternoon.

Snow was set to linger across parts of the state into Monday night as blowing and drifting conditions make driving very difficult for the entirety of the day.