Status updates

Monday, February 23 at 7:30 p.m.

As we begin the multi-day process of digging out from this storm, crews are positioned and ready to launch a strong, focused restoration effort as soon as conditions allow. As travel and working conditions improve, thousands of workers will begin clearing blocked roads, addressing critical facilities and assessing damage to support a safe and efficient restoration. Customers can expect to see restoration efforts ramp up overnight and into tomorrow as additional crews are deployed and access improves. Based on the extensive damage and difficult conditions, restoration is expected to take 3 to 5 days. We understand how frustrating and disruptive outages are, and we’re committed to restoring power as quickly and safely as possible. Customers in hard-hit and less densely populated areas may experience the longest outages as crews work to access these areas.

Updates:

• We’re beginning to assess damage. This helps us know what work needs to be done and what resources we need to do it. This is an important step to develop accurate restoration projections. Though we do not have estimated times of restoration yet, we will share them as soon as crews have a better idea of the full scope of the damage.
• With peak gusts exceeding 70 mph, the Cape and Islands region of the state experienced the most significant impacts, and strong winds are expected to continue in some areas through tomorrow.
• You may see a damage assessor come to your neighborhood and then leave — they are doing a critical job to prepare crews to make repairs.
• Despite difficult working conditions, more than 100,000 customers have had power restored since the storm began yesterday. Additional crews from out-of-state are arriving to assist with restoration efforts following this storm.

Safety:

• If you’re using a generator, make sure to turn it off while you are sleeping and when you are away from home. All equipment and appliances being powered by the generator should be turned off before the generator is shut down. More generator safety tips are available.
• Make sure to clear any snow, ice or debris that accumulates around vents, gas meters, regulator vents and any other outdoor piping.
• Stay away from any downed power lines and assume any wire you see is live. Call 911 and Eversource immediately to report it. 

We’ll continue working through the night and coming days to get your power back on as quickly as possible. Another update on our progress will be provided tomorrow morning.

Monday, February 23 at 4 p.m.

• A powerful Nor’easter that brought hazardous wind gusts, large quantities of heavy, wet snow, and blizzard conditions to all areas of Massachusetts today is expected to gradually wind down later this afternoon and evening. This storm has had a major impact on the electrical system in Eastern Massachusetts, especially on Cape Cod and the Plymouth and New Bedford areas.
• Heavy, blowing snow and gusty winds that created blizzard conditions, unplowed roads, and potential coastal flooding created unsafe travel conditions for much of the day, limiting Eversource’s ability to respond to community priorities and outages. Gusts of 81 mph have been reported on Cape Cod, 70 mph south of Boston, and 50 mph in MetroWest.
• As travel and working conditions improve, our first priority will be responding to public safety issues and restoring critical facilities, as reported by our communities. We will respond as quickly as safety permits.
• Eversource is making plans to move crews into hardest-hit Eastern Massachusetts from other areas of its service territory that saw less impact, including New Hampshire and Western Massachusetts.
• Many of these crews will be available to report to work tomorrow morning, and we are making plans for a strong, focused restoration effort when work and travel conditions improve. Crews will also be working on the system overnight.
• Snowfall totals are expected to reach or exceed forecasted amounts of 12 to 20 inches in Boston, MetroWest, South Coast, and Cape Cod and the Islands and 9 to 15 inches in Western Massachusetts, with locally higher pockets.

Monday, February 23 at 9:45 a.m.

Damaging winds and heavy, wet snow are bringing down trees and limbs onto the electric system, causing significant outages across the region. With strong winds reaching speeds up to 70 mph, and heavy snow continuing today, additional damage to the system is expected. The persistent hazardous conditions and difficult travel, as well as the necessary snow removal, will delay our crews’ ability to safely respond. Under these conditions, restoration could take 3 to 5 days depending on your location and the damage.

We understand how difficult an outage can be, especially in the cold, and we want you to know that as it is safe, we’ll work as quickly as possible to restore your power.

• A powerful Nor’easter, as forecasted, is bringing hazardous wind gusts, large quantities of heavy, wet snow, and blizzard conditions to all areas of Massachusetts today.
• Heavy, blowing snow, gusty winds, unplowed roads, and potential coastal flooding are creating unsafe travel conditions in the eastern half of the state, limiting our ability to respond to community priorities and outages. We will respond as quickly as safety permits. We ask for our customers’ and other stakeholders’ understanding during this period of peak impact.
• Our priority at this stage of the storm will be responding to public safety issues and critical facilities reported by our communities, as weather conditions and visibility permit.
• Gusts of 77 mph have already been reported on Cape Cod, 58 mph south of Boston, and 49 mph in MetroWest. Peak wind gusts could reach 55 to 70 mph in coastal areas, 45 to 55 mph in inland areas of Eastern Massachusetts, and 35 to 45 mph in Western Massachusetts. Winds at these levels can bring trees and limbs down on our electric equipment, causing outages. These elevated gusts are expected to continue into the early evening.
• Current snowfall forecasts are 12 to 20 inches in Boston, MetroWest, South Coast, and Cape Cod and the Islands; and 9 to 15 inches in Western Massachusetts. Pockets of higher totals are possible if bands of heavy snow develop.
• Snow began with a wet, heavy consistency in all areas. It is forecast to change to normal consistency for inland areas as the storm goes on, but remaining wetter in coastal areas.
• Stay away from any downed power lines and assume any wire you see is live. Call 911 and Eversource immediately to report it.

Sunday, February 22 at 12:30 p.m.

• We're continuing to prepare for the impacts of a powerful Nor’easter that is currently expected to bring hazardous wind gusts, large quantities of heavy, wet snow, and blizzard conditions to Massachusetts Sunday night into Monday evening. The highest snowfall totals and strongest winds are expected in coastal areas, but the storm has been tracking to the northwest and all areas of Eastern Massachusetts are likely to see significant snowfall and hazardous gusts.
• Peak wind gusts could reach 55 to 70 mph in coastal areas, 45 to 55 mph in inland areas of Eastern Massachusetts, and 35 to 45 mph in Western Massachusetts. Winds at these levels can bring trees and limbs down on our electric equipment, causing outages. The period of peak winds is forecast to be early morning through mid-afternoon Monday.
• Current snowfall forecasts are 12 to 20 inches in Boston, MetroWest, South Coast, and Cape Cod and the Islands; and 9 to 15 inches in Western Massachusetts. Pockets of higher totals are possible.
• Snow is generally expected to be of wet, heavy consistency, changing to normal consistency for inland areas as the storm goes on, but remaining wetter in coastal areas.
• The combination of snow, gusty winds, and potential coastal flooding in some areas may create difficult travel conditions, limiting Eversource’s ability to quickly respond to community priorities and outages, especially during the peak of the storm. We will respond as quickly as safety permits.
• Confidence in a significant storm is high, but specific impacts will depend on the storm’s track and could vary from the above forecast. Eversource continues to closely monitor forecasts

Saturday, February 21 at 10:40 a.m.

• We are preparing for the impacts of a powerful Nor’easter that is currently expected to bring hazardous wind gusts, large quantities of heavy, wet snow, and blizzard conditions to Massachusetts Sunday night into Monday. The highest snowfall totals and strongest winds are expected in coastal areas, but all areas of Eastern Massachusetts are likely to see significant snowfall and hazardous gusts.
• Peak wind gusts could reach 55 to 65 mph in coastal areas, 45 to 55 mph in inland areas of Eastern Massachusetts, and 35 to 45 mph in Western Massachusetts. Winds at these levels can bring trees and limbs down on our electric equipment, causing outages. The period of peak winds is forecast to be early morning through mid-afternoon Monday.
• Current snowfall forecasts are 12 to 20 inches on the South Coast, Cape Cod and the Islands; 9 to 15 inches in Boston and MetroWest; and 6 to 13 inches in Western Massachusetts.
• Snow is generally expected to be of normal consistency, but could be wetter in coastal areas.
• The combination of snow, gusty winds, and potential coastal flooding in some areas may create difficult travel conditions, limiting our ability to quickly respond to community priorities and outages, especially during the peak of the storm. We will respond as quickly as safety permits.
• Confidence in a significant storm is medium-high, but specific impacts will depend on the storm’s track and could vary from the above forecast. Eversource continues to closely monitor forecasts.