Northeast Digs Out After Historic Blizzard, Power Outages Persist

The Northeast United States is slowly recovering from a massive blizzard that blanketed the region in record-breaking snowfall, disrupting travel, causing widespread power outages, and prompting states of emergency. Even as the worst of the storm has passed, challenges remain as communities dig out and restore essential services.

Storm Recap: Record Snowfall and Disruptions

A powerful winter storm slammed the Northeast from Maryland to Maine on Monday, February 23, 2026, bringing blizzard conditions, heavy snow, and strong winds. Some areas received over 3 feet of snow, surpassing snowfall totals from the historic Blizzard of 1978, according to the National Weather Service. If all the snow that fell from Maryland to Maine had fallen on Manhattan, it would have towered over a mile high, meteorologist Ryan Maue calculated.

The storm led to more than 5,000 flight cancellations across the U.S. On Monday, with major hubs in Boston, Novel York, and Philadelphia particularly affected. As of Wednesday, February 25, 2026, approximately 200 flights had been grounded, according to FlightAware, though disruptions were subsiding. Rhode Island’s T.F. Green International Airport reopened on Tuesday, with some flights resuming on Wednesday.

Power Outages and Recovery Efforts

Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses lost power during the storm. As of Wednesday morning, nearly 160,000 customers in Massachusetts remained without electricity, with Cape Cod being the hardest-hit area. Utility Eversource has pledged to restore power to 99% of its customers by Friday. Massachusetts had the most outages, with approximately 216,000, primarily in Barnstable County. New Jersey reported almost 19,000 outages, while Delaware had about 15,000.

In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani authorized the spreading of 143 million pounds of salt and enlisted over 3,500 emergency shovelers working $30-per-hour shifts to clear bus stops and streets.

Tragic Loss and Ongoing Concerns

The storm tragically claimed the life of a 21-year-old man in Rhode Island due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Joseph Boutrous, a student at Salve Regina University, was found dead in his car, with the exhaust pipe obstructed by snow. Police ruled the death accidental.

Accessibility remains a significant concern. Jeff Peters, spokesperson for the Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York, noted that many sidewalks in New York City are impassable for people with disabilities, with unevenly cleared pathways and large snowdrifts.

Tina Guenette, a wheelchair user in Harrisville, Rhode Island, was forced to shovel her own yard after receiving over 33 inches of snow, as the town’s volunteer snow-shoveling program is inactive.

Cleanup and Future Outlook

Cities are working to manage the massive amounts of snow. New York City workers are using basins of warm water to melt snow and ice, having already melted 23 million pounds during last month’s storm. Providence, Rhode Island, is transporting snow to five designated locations, with the possibility of adding more dumping grounds.

Schools in Philadelphia and Boston have reopened, but Providence, Rhode Island schools remain closed and have transitioned to virtual learning. New York City schools are operating as usual, though students and caregivers faced challenging conditions during the morning commute.

While the storm is moving away, the melting snow is expected to help mitigate drought conditions in parts of the Northeast. Though, the immediate focus remains on recovery and ensuring the safety and accessibility of communities across the region.