Recovery from the Blizzard of 2026 enters its third full day Thursday with Newport Public Schools and City Hall closed for the remainder of the week, Ocean Drive still closed to traffic, and side street clearing continuing across the city.
The National Weather Service issued a Special Weather Statement early Thursday warning of freezing fog and icy conditions this morning. Snow melt, below-freezing temperatures, and freezing fog have created very slippery travel conditions — drivers and pedestrians should use caution on untreated surfaces through 9 a.m.
Power restoration is essentially complete statewide. As of 7 a.m. Thursday, just 24 customers remained without power across all of Rhode Island — 8 in Newport County (7 in Little Compton, 1 in Jamestown). Four of the five counties, including Kent and Bristol, are at zero.
The city said it hopes to have all roads cleared by this weekend. Primary roads are passable, and crews have been working through the North End, The Point, Fifth Ward, Off-Broadway, and Kerry Hill neighborhoods.
In Middletown, Town Administrator Shawn J. Brown announced Thursday morning that Public Works crews have cleared every local road in town. “The team accomplished an extraordinary amount of work since reporting Sunday night at 4, particularly given the bulk of snow removal operations couldn’t begin Monday until 5 p.m.,” Brown said. Middletown’s focus now shifts to widening roads and intersections, completing cleanup at school properties to support reopening, and clearing sidewalks along key pedestrian corridors including the Oxbow neighborhood to Stop & Shop, Maple Avenue to Shaw’s, and near bus stops. For nonemergency assistance, Middletown residents can call the town’s Emergency Operations Center at 401-842-6555.
State heavy equipment deployed in Newport
Heavy equipment on loan from the state is now being deployed across Newport for critical snow removal operations. Crews are working to reopen streets in the Yachting Village and the Lower Thames Street corridor before moving to other neighborhoods citywide. The city said this will be a multi-day, 24-hour operation, and towing will be strictly enforced on all parking-restricted streets.
City Council Chair Charlie Holder said the equipment will be used for multiple projects, particularly in the 3rd Ward, Thames-Spring connector streets, and at affordable housing complexes. Holder asked residents on those streets to shovel out their cars as soon as possible. “This will help to get those streets cleared quicker,” Holder said.
The mandatory parking ban remains in effect for all snow emergency routes in Newport, with the exception of the southbound side of Broadway. The city warned that towing will be strictly enforced. For a list of impacted streets, visit cityofnewport.com/snow. Parking bans also remain in effect in Jamestown, Middletown, Portsmouth, and Tiverton until further notice.
Ocean Drive remains closed to vehicular traffic until further notice with barricades at Coggeshall Avenue, Carroll Avenue, and the north entrance of Brenton Point State Park.
Trash collection in Newport remains suspended. The February 25 City Council meeting has been postponed.
RIPTA detours improving
RIPTA service continues to improve. Fifteen routes are on detour Thursday — down from 28 on Wednesday — and only Route 6 is fully suspended. On Aquidneck Island:
- Route 63 (Broadway/Middletown Shops) — Service to Girard Avenue and Hillside Avenue suspended
- Route 64 (Newport/URI Kingston) — All trips remaining on Farewell Street; no service on 2nd or 3rd Streets; service to CCRI suspended
- Route 68 (CCRI Newport/Memorial Blvd./First Beach) — All trips remaining on Farewell Street; no service on 2nd or 3rd Streets
Route 18 (Union Avenue), which was suspended Wednesday, is back in service Thursday on detour. Passengers should continue to expect delays on all routes. Updates at RIPTA.com/alerts.
What’s closed Thursday in Newport County
Schools:
- Newport Public Schools — Closed through Friday
- Middletown Public Schools — Closed; closed again Friday (12-month employees report to building)
- Jamestown Public Schools — Closed; no off-island busing
- Tiverton Public Schools — Closed through Friday (no virtual instruction)
- Portsmouth Public Schools — Virtual Learning Day through Friday
- Little Compton Public Schools — Virtual Learning Day through Friday
- The Met – East Bay (Newport) — Virtual Learning Day through Friday
- All Saints Academy (Middletown) — Closed
- Bradley School (Portsmouth) — Distance Learning Day through Friday
- Pennfield School (Portsmouth) — Closed through Friday; remote learning
- St. Philomena School (Portsmouth) — Closed
- Salve Regina University — Remote through Friday
- CCRI (all campuses) — Remote Learning Day through Friday
- URI — Hybrid class schedule; remote work encouraged
Childcare:
- Head Start EBCAP (Newport) — All centers closed
- Boys and Girls Clubs of Newport — Closed through Friday
- Martin Luther King Community Center (Newport) — Closed; all programs
- Sakonnet Early Learning Center (Tiverton) — Closed
Government and military:
- Newport City Hall — Closed through Friday
- Naval Station Newport — Returning to normal operations; MWR, CYP, NEX, and DECA all open
- Newport Public Library — Closed
- Edward King House Senior Center (Newport) — Closed through Friday; storm recovery information line now active at 401-846-7426, ext. 1 for older adults and caregivers needing help navigating recovery resources. The center plans to resume its regular schedule next week.
- Portsmouth Senior Center — Closed all week
- RI Judiciary — Open statewide, but Newport courthouse closed
Community organizations:
- Save the Bay Hamilton Family Aquarium (Newport) — Closed
- Viking Bridge Club (Portsmouth) — Closed
Trash collection:
- Newport trash and recycling — Suspended
The forecast
Warmer temperatures continue, which will help with melting. Saturday looks like the warmest day this week.
This afternoon: Increasing clouds, with a high near 41. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph.
Tonight: Cloudy during the early evening, then gradual clearing, with a low around 23.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 38.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 44.
Sunday: A chance of rain and snow before noon, then a chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 37. Chance of precipitation is 50%.