BROCKTON, Mass. — Southeastern Massachusetts, including Cape Cod and the Islands, is reeling on Tuesday morning after a monster blizzard dumped feet of snow, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands and leaving roads impassable.
Road conditions in those areas remained treacherous early Tuesday after the winds from Monday’s historic storm created whiteout conditions and left major highways coated in packed snow.
Boston 25 Morning News reporter Kelly Sullivan and her photographer were attempting to take an exit to Route 24 south in Brockton when their news vehicle got stuck in deep snow.
The National Guard was also busy responding to disabled vehicles in the snow on Interstate 495 near Route 24.
Erin Munise, of Raynham, who works at Boston Medical Center South in Brockton, told Boston 25 News that driving to work during the height of the storm was the most frightening experience of her life.
Munise recalled watching car after car lose control on the highway as visibility dropped and plows struggled to keep up.
“The number of cars spun out, covered in snow on the highways, was insane. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life,” Munise said. “I would say if you don’t need to leave your home, do not. I mean, as I said, I’m an essential employee, but it’s not worth it. Even the highways—they’re not even down to pavement. It’s packed with snow. It’s very slippery out there.”
Munise said the side roads were even worse, and despite the dangerous conditions, she had to make the drive again on Tuesday morning. She stopped for gas this morning at Cumberland Farms and was searching for coffee before heading in for her shift.
We spotted a gigantic pile of snow in the parking lot.
Some of the snowfall jackpot zones across southeastern Massachusetts included:
- Dartmouth: 37 inches
- Somerset: 36 inches
- Kingston: 36 inches
- Lakeville: 36 inches
- Sharon: 32.5 inches
- Westport: 32 inches
- Dighton: 32 inches
- Attleboro: 32 inches
- Brockton: 31 inches
- Bridgewater: 31 inches
[ Updated town-by-town totals: How much snow fell in Mass. during monster blizzard? ]
Officials continue to urge anyone who must travel to give themselves extra time and drive slowly.
As of Tuesday morning, a non-essential travel ban remained in effect in Bristol, Plymouth, Barnstable, and Dukes counties.
Gov. Healey said Monday that the travel ban supports snow removal operations in response to the extraordinary snowfall experienced in the region during this storm.
Cars were also spotted trapped in blizzard conditions on Nantucket, where hurricane-force winds downed numerous trees and power lines.
“Travel should be restricted to emergencies only,” the National Weather Service warned before the storm hit.
MassDOT says the state is hoping to lift the travel ban by “midday” on Tuesday.
[ Live post-blizzard updates: Mass. begins cleanup after historic snowfall in New England ]
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