Rhode Island Digs Out After Historic Blizzard, Travel Ban Lifted
– Rhode Island residents are beginning the arduous task of digging out after a historic blizzard that shattered snowfall records, even as a statewide travel ban was lifted at noon today. While the ban has been lifted, officials are urging those who don’t need to travel to stay home to allow municipalities to continue clearing secondary roads.
The Blizzard of 2026, as it’s being called, surpassed the snowfall totals of the infamous Blizzard of ’78 in numerous towns across the state, according to the National Weather Service. Preliminary reports indicate that many locations have received over 30 inches of snow.
As of 1 p.m. Today, approximately 39,881 power outages were reported across Rhode Island, leaving thousands without electricity. Utility crews are working to restore power, but officials have not yet provided an estimated time for full restoration.
The storm forced the closure of four of the state’s bridges – the Jamestown-Verrazzano Bridge, Mount Hope Bridge, Newport Pell Bridge, and the Sakonnet River Bridge – though We see currently unclear when they will reopen.
The impact of the blizzard extended beyond travel and power disruptions. In Providence, over a thousand parking tickets were issued as a result of parking restrictions implemented ahead of the storm.
The University of Rhode Island men’s basketball team’s road game against St. Bonaventure, originally scheduled for Wednesday night, has been postponed until Thursday at 5 p.m. The decision was made due to the blizzard conditions in Rhode Island, impacting the team’s ability to travel to Olean, New York.
The storm began Monday, bringing whiteout conditions and widespread power outages to the state. Governor Dan McKee issued a statewide travel ban, which remained in effect overnight and into Tuesday morning. The lifting of the ban at noon is a significant step towards recovery, but officials emphasize that continued caution is necessary.
Residents in Providence’s Silver Lake neighborhood were photographed clearing snow on Tuesday, illustrating the widespread effort underway to return to normalcy. The cleanup process is expected to take several days, and residents are urged to check with their local municipalities for specific guidance on snow removal and road conditions.
This story was originally published on February 23 and has been updated with the latest information as of 2:24 p.m. ET on February 24.
