Cape Cod storm updates: Find the latest on snow, winds, flooding and more

Alison Bosma, Zane Razzaq, Eric Williams and Rachael Devaney, Cape Cod Times
Updated ·5 min read

Editor's note: Scroll down for the latest updates.

A snowy winter storm is sweeping New England Tuesday, dumping several inches of the white stuff on Cape Cod.

Bookmark this page and check here throughout Tuesday for the latest updates on how the storm is hitting Cape Cod. We'll post updates live here throughout the day, including power outages, road closures due to flooding, car crashes or fallen trees and utility poles, school closings, forecast updates and snow totals.

More details in our most recent forecast, also updated as necessary: Cape Cod storm weather forecast: Snow, wind and flooding possible

Find our power outage tracker here: OFF THE GRID: United States and Barnstable County, Massachusetts Power Outage Tracker | capecodtimes.com

The Steamship Authority ferry Eagle rides out the storm in her slip at the Hyannis terminal as crews get busy with snow removal as the storm picked up mid-day Tuesday.
The Steamship Authority ferry Eagle rides out the storm in her slip at the Hyannis terminal as crews get busy with snow removal as the storm picked up mid-day Tuesday.

Here's where we posted school closings, which began rolling in early Monday afternoon: Cape Cod school closings. See the full list, updated regularly

Here's how to make an emergency kit: How to make an emergency preparedness kit, according to a Cape Cod expert.

Over 20,000 without power on Cape as of 8:20 p.m.

As the storm winds down, at 8:20 p.m., Eversource was reporting more than 20,000 customers on Cape Cod alone affected by power outages. The company's total affected customers for eastern Massachusetts was about 20,937 at 8:20 p.m.

Dennis had 5,938 customers affected. Barnstable had over 7,000 customers affected. Harwich and Yarmouth had over 1,000 reported outages each.

There are trees down in multiple areas in the vicinity of Old Bass River and Setucket roads in Dennis.“We have tree and line crews actively patrolling the area and making repairs to restore power,” Eversource spokesman William Hinkle said at 7 p.m.

With heavy, wet snow, and strong winds, trees and tree limbs are raining down across the state, causing damage to electrical systems, resulting in power outages across the state, said Hinkle at around 6 p.m.

“Most of that damage has occurred on Cape Cod, the South Shore and South Coast,” said Hinkle. “We’ve restored power to approximately 30,000 customers statewide since the storm began.”

As the snowfall winds down, said Hinkle, additional damage and outages are possible. Additional crews will support restoration, he said, and are shifting resources to the hardest-hit communities – including the Cape.

“Messy roads have slowed travel and been particularly difficult for our crews and we’re working as quickly as safety allows to restore power to all of our customers,” Hinkle said.

'Please continue to stay off the roads if possible.'

At 4 p.m. in Barnstable, while conditions continue to ease, downed trees and tree limbs have affected electrical wires throughout the area, Barnstable Director of Communications Lynne Poyant said.

The storm was expected to move fully offshore by 6 p.m., Poyant said.

Race Lane to Old Mill Road in Marstons Mills is closed until further notice, due to an energized, downed wire, Poyant said based on information from the police department.

“Plow drivers will be out across town as the DPW continues snow removal and cleanup efforts for at least the next six plus hours,” said Poyant. “Please continue to stay off the roads if possible.”

Around 3:30 p.m. in Harwich, Police Dispatcher Iris McInally said local roadways are in bad shape.

“Road conditions are not the best. We are starting to see vehicles running off the roadway," she said.

Many telephone wires are also down, said McInally.

“It’s just getting worse. Please everyone, stay off the roads,” she said.

In Provincetown, while visibility isn’t great and there was a high afternoon wind, said Deputy Harbormaster Christine Maxwell, things are looking "pretty good."

“There’s no catastrophes. I’m not running around the pier trying to rescue boats or anything,” said Maxwell over the phone. “The waves are not insane, we aren’t seeing too much flooding, and the tide is headed back down.”

Verizon crews brave a heavy wet snowfall as they make repairs to downed service lines along Route 6A in West Barnstable as the storm picked up on Tuesday
Verizon crews brave a heavy wet snowfall as they make repairs to downed service lines along Route 6A in West Barnstable as the storm picked up on Tuesday

In Falmouth, Old Barnstable Road by the Beagle Club and Plum Hollow Road was impassable around 1:15p.m. due to a fallen tree.

Power outages reported in Barnstable, Dennis, Falmouth, Mashpee, Sandwich and Yarmouth

As of 12:30 p.m., Eversource reported hundreds of power outages on Cape Cod.

Yarmouth led the way, with 746 affected customers, followed by Mashpee with 452, then Sandwich, which had 359. Falmouth had 35 affected customers and Dennis and Barnstable each had fewer than 5.

Fallen power lines close Route 28 in Falmouth

Route 28 in Falmouth closed for hours Tuesday - northbound and southbound - after power lines fell across the main thoroughfare.
Route 28 in Falmouth closed for hours Tuesday - northbound and southbound - after power lines fell across the main thoroughfare.

Around 11 a.m., the storm brought power lines down across Route 28 north and south near Thomas B. Landers Road as well as on the ramps, according to the Falmouth Fire Department's Facebook page.

The northbound ramp at Thomas B. Landers is shut down and the southbound ramp at Route 151 is shut down, according to police around 11 a.m.

The Eversource power outage map lists fewer than two customers without power in town. No outages are reported by Eversource on the rest of the Cape.

Snow totals updated for Cape Cod

The heaviest snowfall on the Cape is expected to occur between about 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Snowfall rates could reach one to two inches per hour. Total snowfall amounts of around six to eight inches are possible on Cape Cod.

Previous snow total models showed the Outer Cape getting one to three inches.

Massachusetts schools, courts close for snowstorm, Barnstable County opens MACC

Schools across the Cape joined districts statewide in announcing snow days Monday afternoon. As of Tuesday morning, all Cape and Islands schools except those on Nantucket announced closures.

All Massachusetts courts are closed, and Gov. Maura Healey directed the state's non-emergency executive branch employees to stay home and telework if possible.

Outer Cape Health Services health centers and pharmacies in Provincetown, Wellfleet and Harwich are also closed.

Snow falls in front of the Brewster Store decorated with hearts ahead of Valentine's Day.
Snow falls in front of the Brewster Store decorated with hearts ahead of Valentine's Day.

Libraries, senior centers and town offices closed across Cape Cod and parking bans went into effect. See notices for Barnstable, Bourne, Brewster, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Harwich, Orleans, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro, Wellfleet and Yarmouth. Mashpee closed its town offices at noon on Tuesday.

Barnstable County will open its Multi-Agency Coordination Center, or MACC, at 7 a.m. Tuesday. In county-wide emergencies, the center acts as a "clearinghouse for regional resource requests and supports the regional emergency shelter system" according to the county's website.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: LIVE: Cape Cod storm updates: Snow, flooding, winds, power outages