The Blizzard of 2026 brought unprecedented snowfall to Massachusetts, with Fall River topping the charts at 41 inches. Other areas, including Plymouth, Lakeville, and New Bedford, were also buried under three feet or more of snow. This exceptional weather event shattered previous records, including Providence’s 1978 blizzard snowfall record. The heavy, wet snow, combined with hurricane-force winds, wreaked havoc on power lines, resulting in over 269,000 outages statewide and plunging nearly all of Cape Cod into darkness. Power restoration efforts are expected to take several days, as utility crews face extremely challenging conditions.
In response to the severe conditions, a non-essential travel ban was enforced across several counties, and the National Guard was deployed to assist with the extensive dig-out. Plow crews from less-affected areas were redirected to help the hardest-hit towns, highlighting the scale of the cleanup operation. The storm also severely disrupted transportation, with the MBTA operating on a reduced schedule and nearly a thousand flights canceled at Logan Airport.
Beyond the snow, the blizzard caused widespread water main breaks in Winthrop, resulting in severe flooding, sinkholes, and a temporary town-wide water shutdown. The historical impact of this storm was underscored by the Boston Globe, which, for the first time in over 150 years, did not print a physical edition due to impassable conditions preventing staff from reaching the printing press.
