The Latest on a third nor’easter in two weeks to pound the storm-weary Northeast (all times local):
2:05 p.m.
It seems nothing can stop the Roman Catholic church from celebrating Mass.
The Rev. Bernard Healey says he celebrated Mass on Tuesday with “two hearty souls” as the third nor’easter in two weeks pounded the storm-weary Northeast.
One regular parishioner walked to the Our Lady of Mercy Parish in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, for noon Mass while another drove across town to get there.
Healey says they prayed for those suffering during the storm.
He says he has held Mass during hurricanes and blizzards before. Healey lives next to the church, and at least one parishioner always attends.
He’d even hold Mass if the church lost power. He says he’d just light more candles.
The only thing that would cancel Mass is a caved-in roof, fire or other serious disaster.
2 p.m.
Newport, Rhode Island as well as Marshfield and Martha’s Vineyard are the latest locales where blizzard conditions have been confirmed.
The National Weather Service said an automated observing station recorded three consecutive hours of blizzard conditions in Newport early Tuesday afternoon.
A blizzard is defined as three or more hours of sustained wind or frequent gusts to 35 mph or greater; and snow that reduces visibility to less than one-quarter of a mile.
1 p.m.
Schools are closed, but polls are open as New Hampshire gets hit with a Town Meeting Day snowstorm for the second straight year.
Last year, nearly 80 communities postponed their annual elections due to snow, creating widespread confusion over who has the authority to change the date, traditionally the second Tuesday of March. While the Legislature is still working to clarify the law, the secretary of state was adamant this year that towns can’t make the call. Most appeared to be heeding that warning Tuesday.
Warner town moderator Ray Martin said turnout was steady early as voters hoped to avoid the worst of the snow later. Standing outside Town Hall, selectman candidate Ed Ordway said those who really want to change things won’t be stopped by a little snow.
12:45 p.m.
Boston is dealing with a blizzard, and as conditions worsen, the number of power outages climbs.
The National Weather Service said early Tuesday afternoon that an automated observing station at Logan International Airport has recorded three hours of blizzard conditions.
Blizzard conditions had previously been reached in Hyannis, Falmouth, and Plymouth, Massachusetts.
The weather service defines a blizzard as three or more hours of sustained wind or frequent gusts to 35 mph or greater; and falling or blowing snow that reduces visibility frequently to less than one-quarter of a mile.
Major utilities are reporting more than 220,000 outages across the region. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency said nearly 180,000 of those are in state.
11:25 a.m.
The National Weather Service has declared the latest winter storm to hit the Northeast a blizzard.
The service’s Taunton, Massachusetts, office said on Twitter late Tuesday morning that automated observing sites in Hyannis, Falmouth, and Plymouth recorded three consecutive hours of blizzard conditions despite some missing observations due to a power loss.
The weather service defines a blizzard as three or more hours of sustained wind or frequent gusts to 35 mph or greater; and falling or blowing snow that reduces visibility frequently to less than one-quarter of a mile.
11:15 a.m.
Alex Tuthill called the snow falling in Boston during the latest nor’easter “quite incredible.”
In Boston on business, the 30-year-old London resident said he was sharing pictures and videos with friends back home who rarely see more than a few inches of snow as he waited for a taxi outside a hotel.
He said he has “never seen anything like this in my life. ... I can imagine everyone here hates it but for me it’s quite an experience.”
Roy Zaloom of Ramsey, New Jersey, was preparing for a morning drive back home.
He thought the snow looked mushy “which means it’s slippery as the dickens.”
After getting a foot of snow at home last week, he was ready for winter to end.
10:15 a.m.
Amtrak has suspended service between Boston and New York City as heavy snow pummels New England.
Amtrak says train service between the cities will be halted for the remainder of Tuesday. Amtrak initially said train service would be suspended until at least 11 a.m.
Amtrak says service will be restored “pending improved conditions.”
The weather service issued a blizzard warning for much of the coast of Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.
Meteorologists have said the nor’easter could bring blizzard conditions and nearly 2 feet of snow to some areas of New England.
The National Weather Service says gusts exceeding 50 mph (80 kph) were recorded off Cape Cod Bay, in Bourne, early Tuesday.
8:50 a.m.
Eastern Long Island is braced for the brunt of the latest storm in the New York City metropolitan area.
Newsday says road conditions deteriorated quickly before sunrise Tuesday as wet, heavy snow accumulated in the Town of Brookhaven.
A National Weather Service winter storm warning is in effect until 6 p.m. in Suffolk County and 4 p.m. in Nassau County.
Forecasters say Long Island’s East End could get 8 to 12 inches of snow with poor visibility at times and wind gusts at 30 to 45 mph.
PSEG Long Island says about 1,200 customers lost power overnight, but electricity was restored for most by early Tuesday.
Spokeswoman Brooke Houston says the utility has brought in 112 linemen from Quebec to supplement hundreds of employees and local
The Long Island Rail Road was reporting only minor weather-related delays (10 to 15 minutes) during the morning rush.
Dozens of Long Island schools were closed Tuesday.
8:15 a.m.
While snowfall was negligible on much of Cape Cod during the early hours of the latest storm to hit the Northeast, forecasters said the nor’easter could dump as much as 2 feet.
There was barely enough snow early Tuesday to coat lawns and sand beaches, yet winds near hurricane force were lashing the peninsula.
The National Weather Service says gusts exceeding 50 mph (80 kph) were recorded off Cape Cod Bay in Bourne early Tuesday.
The area was hit hard by the last two storms, with massive coastal erosion and hundreds of toppled trees.
The weather service issued a blizzard warning for much of the coast of Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.
7:45 a.m.
A nor’easter that could bring blizzard conditions and nearly 2 feet of snow to some areas of New England has started to intensify.
What began as a wet, slushy, wind-driven rain in the pre-dawn hours Tuesday turned into snow that quickly covered roads and made driving treacherous.
The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for much of the coast of Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.
Although the latest storm was not expected to bring as many power outages as a nor’easter last week, about 12,000 customers in Massachusetts lost power Tuesday morning.
Communities across the region closed schools for the day and issued on-street parking bans.
The Boston-area public transit system said it would operate on a limited weekday basis and encouraged people to check schedules before heading out.
12:05 a.m.
The third major nor’easter in two weeks is starting to slam the storm-battered Northeast with more than a foot of snow and high winds expected in some areas.
The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for much of the Massachusetts coast, a winter storm warning for most of New England and a winter weather advisory for portions of New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
The storm is expected to last through most of the day Tuesday, disrupting road and air travel.
While the first two storms of the month brought coastal flooding and hundreds of thousands of power outages, this one is expected to be different.
More power outages are possible, but they are not expected to be as widespread as last week. Only minor coastal flooding is predicted.