For previous coverage before 2 PM click here.
Tree down on Leamington Dr. in Mashpee
Via Cape Cod Incidents/CWN
2 PM update: Brewster officials were able to reach the barn fire. The building on Serenity Lane is listed as part of Namshaket Farm The structure is a total loss but no other structures were damaged and no injuries were reported. Power outages have risen to 155,000 customers. This editor can not remember such a large loss of power on the Cape in over 25 years of covering storms.
Update from Sandwich Police: Good afternoon, Sandwich.
Storm conditions continue to impact our community. Heavy snowfall persists, and an additional 9”+ of snow remains possible. While snowfall is expected to continue into the evening, it should become lighter later today.
Wind Impacts
Strong winds of 50–60 mph are expected to continue through early evening. These conditions are limiting restoration and cleanup efforts until winds subside.
Power & Road Conditions
Approximately 4,200 homes are currently without power. Several roads remain impassable due to downed trees and wires.
Eversource crews remain focused first and foremost on public safety. As conditions improve, additional crews from regions experiencing lesser impacts will be dispatched to the Cape & Islands to assist with restoration.
3 PM update: Power outages appear to be leveling off at about 155,000 customers. That’s the good news, the bad news is line crews, who are noting damage, have to wait for the winds to subside before they can go up in their bucket trucks to start making repairs. Eversource has stated that although extra crews are on hand, this is going to be a multi-day restoration effort.
Provincetown is opening an additional shelter: A Warming/Storm Shelter will open this evening (Monday, February 23) at 7:00 PM at the Veteran’s Memorial Community Center (VMCC) at 2 Mayflower St.
The shelter is only for residents who cannot safely remain in their homes due to the power outage or other circumstances. Charging stations, cots, blankets, and bottled water will be available. Residents are encouraged to bring their own personal, non-perishable snacks.
Due to the dangerous travel conditions, the shelter should only be used as a last resort.
From Bourne Police: The winter storm that has brought blizzard conditions to our area continues to make travel near impossible throughout the town. We are asking all motorists to stay off the roads so that plows can continue snow removal. Even after the storm subsides, snow removal will be a multi-day process, and some roads will remain difficult to travel on. It will take some time for travel to be safe on all roads as crews remove snow and road hazards. The townwide parking ban continues to be in effect.
A significant amount of Bourne is currently without power, and Eversource anticipates a multi-day recovery process. There are Emergency Shelters available in Plymouth and Barnstable, but transportation is not currently available due to the road conditions. If you are interested in being transported to a shelter once travel is safe, please contact our dispatch center at 508-759-4451 (Option 1) and provide your name, address and phone number. We will reach out to you once transportation is available. Information about shelter locations is available on the
Police Department Facebook page and at RedCross.org. If anyone needs immediate medical or emergency assistance, please dial 9-1-1.
All town offices, as well as Upper Cape Tech and Bourne Public Schools will be closed on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. All trash and recycling curbside pickup has been cancelled for the remainder of this week.
Orleans Police made it to Nauset Beach and captured large swells behind the barrier dune.
Lower County Rd., Dennis Port
Via Cape Cod Incidents/CWN
4:15 PM update: Governor Maura Healey has signed an Executive Order placing an immediate ban on non-essential motor vehicle travel in Bristol, Plymouth, and Barnstable counties due to the blizzard and dangerous road conditions. The speed limit on the Mass Pike has also been reduced to 40 miles per hour.
The travel ban supports snow removal operations in response to the extraordinary snowfall experienced in the region during this storm so far. Roadway conditions are currently hazardous, and this measure will enhance safety for motorists, plow operators, and first responders. The travel ban will be lifted when Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver determines conditions are safe.
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From Barnstable County Regional Emergency Planning Committee: The Regional Shelter at Nauset High School is no longer able to accept additional guests due to capacity limitations and heating issues.
A shelter at Dennis-Yarmouth High School will open at 8:00 PM this evening. Additional shelter locations are being evaluated.
The public is reminded to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary and to use caution around downed trees and power lines.
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From Eversource: Blizzard conditions causing monumental damage to the electrical system on the Cape and Islands. Hardest hit areas may take longest to restore. Please be prepared to be without power for multiple days. Dial 211 for warming shelter info. Next update tonight, more on eversource.com. Editor’s note as of this hour outages remain steady at 155,000 customers on the Cape.
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Updated snowfall reports:
Centerville 20.0 in 0110 PM 02/23
2 ENE Pocasset 19.5 in 0141 PM 02/23
Cotuit 14.0 in 1215 PM 02/23 Amateur Radio
5:30 PM update:
Update from the Barnstable County Regional Emergency Planning Committee:
Snow will linger until late Monday night on Cape Cod.
Nauset Regional High School had 40 people in their shelter on Monday afternoon, but they had been having some heat problems and were unable to take any more people as of late Monday afternoon.
Barnstable Intermediate School had a few people in their shelter and had capacity for more. The Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School shelter will open at 8 p.m. Monday night.
Cape Cod Healthcare’s urgent care facilities will remain closed on Tuesday, but both Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth Hospital remain open and operational.
Officials from Eversource said they were planning to stage repair crews at the Cape Cod Mall and the Falmouth Walmart and their Cape Cod office in Yarmouth. The weather conditions have hampered their crews from getting into the field, but they expected to be able to get into the field on Tuesday morning. Outages could stretch into Wednesday.
7:30 PM update: Power outages unchanged at 155,000 customers. A dramatic video of the Blizzard of 2026 from space courtesy of NASA!
A graphic reminder to always assume downed wires are live. This scene was on O’Donnell Ave. in Falmouth.
Via Cape Cod Incidents/CWN
9:45 PM update: From Eastham Police: Winds and snow are diminishing; however Eastham has sustained heavy tree and electrical grid damage. Currently, 100% of the town is without power. These power outages will last for multiple days. Eversource cannot begin working until weather conditions are safe to do so, and this will be a large-scale restoration project. Road conditions are extremely dangerous. Please stay home and off the roads.
If you are in need of emergency sheltering, we have opened the Eastham Public Library as a secondary shelter. Nauset Regional High School is experiencing some heating issues and has reached its capacity for the night. If you cannot provide your own transportation to the library, please contact the Eastham Police Department at 508-255-0551. The shelter should be a last resort. Please consider staying with a neighbor or friend that might have a generator.
Tomorrow morning, once conditions allow, we will begin assessing damage with Eversource and develop a plan to begin electrical grid repairs. Again, I want to reiterate; this will be a multi-day outage situation and restorations effort. Please be patient and know that we are managing this extremely difficult situation the best we can. Thank you.
11 PM update: Falmouth firefighters responding to a house fire on Moonakis Road. Access was difficult due to a downed tree on Moonakis Road as well as the snow clogged roads. The house was reported fully involved when crews reached the scene.
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From Barnstable County Government:
CAPE COD: LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER TONIGHT
If you are safe and able:
• Check on a neighbor without power or heat
• Help clear a path to a door, vent, or exhaust
• Share verified shelter and warming center information
• Report urgent concerns to local public safety
If you need warmth or safety:
Regional shelters are open. Check www.capecod.gov/bcrepc
Travel to a shelter is allowed despite the statewide travel ban if your home is unsafe.
Important safety reminders:
• Use generators outdoors only — never in homes, garages, or near windows
• Never use ovens, grills to heat your home
• Never run a car in a garage or near the home to stay warm. (If you must sit in a car for warmth or charging, move it well away from buildings and make sure the exhaust pipe is clear of snow.)
• Dress in layers and stay in one room to conserve heat
• Stay off roads unless traveling to shelter or for an emergency
• Stay clear of downed wires and report hazards
11:45 PM update: Falmouth crews have the fire contained but the house appears to be a total loss. Luckily it did not appear anyone was home at the time of the fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
