The Blizzard of 2026 is now the greatest single snowstorm on record in Rhode Island. The National Weather Service announced Monday afternoon that T.F. Green International Airport recorded 32.8 inches of snow as of 1 p.m., breaking the record of 28.6 inches set during the Blizzard of ’78 on February 6–7, 1978.
Newport County is buried under more than two feet of snow. The NWS reported 28.2 inches in Portsmouth as of 5:58 p.m. from a trained spotter, with 21 to 27 inches reported elsewhere across the county. The NWS confirmed that Newport State Airport reached official blizzard criteria at 7:50 a.m. — meaning visibility of a quarter mile or less and sustained or frequently gusting winds of 35 mph or higher for at least three hours — and conditions are continuing. Newport is one of 15 airports across Rhode Island and Massachusetts to officially reach blizzard criteria today.
The Blizzard Warning remains in effect until 7 a.m. Tuesday, though the storm is winding down — the NWS said at 4:47 p.m. that only up to two more inches of snow are expected, with gusts as high as 60 mph. A statewide travel ban remains in effect until further notice — drivers who violate the ban will be cited.
The City of Newport said in a 5:11 p.m. update that a State of Emergency remains in effect for the entire state and urged residents to stay home. “This has been a historic and crippling snowstorm, and recovery is expected to take several days or more,” the city said. Newport City Hall and offices will be closed again on Tuesday, and the February 25 City Council meeting has been postponed. Trash and recycling collection has been suspended for Tuesday. Newport’s Emergency Management Operations Center is fully staffed and will remain so throughout the duration of the storm. The city urged residents to check for drifting snow and clear any exterior furnace vents that may be covered, and to check on elderly or disabled neighbors.
RIPTA suspends all service Tuesday
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority announced Monday evening that it will suspend all service on Tuesday, February 24, including RIde paratransit, due to post-blizzard conditions and ongoing safety concerns. RIPTA initially suspended service at 9 p.m. Sunday and has not yet resumed. All RIPTA offices, including Kennedy Plaza and the Pawtucket-Central Falls Transit Center, will be closed Tuesday. Service will be reinstated when conditions are suitable for safe operations. Updates will be available at RIPTA.com/alerts.
Snowfall reports across Newport County
The NWS 6:30 p.m. snowfall report includes the highest Newport County total of the storm so far:
- Portsmouth — 28.2 inches (as of 5:58 p.m.) — Trained Spotter
Earlier NWS reports from noon:
- Portsmouth — 24.0 inches (as of noon)
- 2 miles SSW of Portsmouth — 24.0 inches (as of 11:40 a.m.)
- 1 mile SSW of Newport Airport — 22.0 inches (as of noon)
- 1 mile NNW of Jamestown — 21.0 inches (as of noon)
- 1 mile NE of Newport — 20.0 inches (as of noon)
Reports collected at 3 p.m. by the Newport County Community Radio Lifeline via GMRS/FRS Radio Channel 3, shared with the NWS Taunton SKYWARN liaison:
- Middletown — 27 inches of snow; barometric pressure 992 and rising
- Jamestown — 24 inches of snow; no power
- Newport — 21 inches of snow
The Radio Lifeline also reminded residents to check and clear all exterior vents, including dryer vents and natural gas boiler vents, which may be buried by snow.
At noon, the Radio Lifeline reported:
- Portsmouth — 24 inches of snow
- Middletown — 22 inches of snow
- Jamestown — 21 inches of snow; no power; 14-inch pine tree down on Washington Street
- Newport — 20 inches of snow; 29 mph gusts; no power near Rogers High School
Across Rhode Island, some of the highest snowfall totals reported include 36 inches south of Providence, 35 inches in North Kingstown, 33.5 inches in Providence, 32.8 inches at T.F. Green Airport (a new state record), 32.1 inches in Glocester, 32 inches in Pawtucket, and 30 inches in Warren, West Warwick, North Providence, and South Kingstown.
Power outages
As of 6:30 p.m., Rhode Island Energy reported 5,939 customers without power in Newport County out of 48,862 served. Town-by-town:
- Newport — 2,876 of 14,886 customers without power
- Portsmouth — 2,414 of 10,858
- Little Compton — 451 of 2,631
- Tiverton — 188 of 8,281
- Jamestown — 6 of 3,764
- Middletown — 4 of 8,442
Statewide, 41,276 of 513,983 Rhode Island Energy customers were without power, with the highest numbers in Washington County (15,260), Providence County (13,204), and Kent County (6,595). A regional shelter has opened at Broad Rock Middle School in South Kingstown for residents of South Kingstown, Narragansett, and North Kingstown experiencing unsafe conditions due to prolonged loss of power or heat. Residents can call the shelter hotline at 401-284-1626 or email storm26@southkingstownri.gov.
Wind reports
Wind gusts have been fierce across Newport County. Newport State Airport recorded a 68 mph gust at 8:55 a.m. Sakonnet Vineyards in Little Compton recorded 59 mph at 7:44 a.m., and Fogland in Tiverton hit 58 mph at 7:49 a.m. Offshore, a buoy 9 miles southeast of Little Compton recorded a 74 mph gust at 9:00 a.m.
Nearby, Bristol Harbor recorded a 65 mph gust at 8:25 a.m. and T.F. Green Airport in Warwick hit 68 mph at 8:31 a.m. Quonset Airport in North Kingstown recorded the state’s highest wind gust at 74 mph.
Bridges remain closed
All four RITBA bridges — the Newport Pell Bridge, Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge, Mount Hope Bridge, and Sakonnet River Bridge — remain closed in accordance with the statewide travel ban, RITBA confirmed at 8:43 p.m. Monday. Emergency vehicles are allowed to cross. The RITBA customer service center will be closed again on Tuesday. Online services are available at ezpassritba.com.
Newport County parking bans
- Newport — Until further notice
- Jamestown — Through Tuesday 6 a.m.
- Middletown — Until further notice
- Portsmouth — Until further notice
- Tiverton — Until further notice
Newport County school closings for Tuesday
- Middletown Public Schools — Closed Tuesday
- Newport Public Schools — Closed Tuesday
- Jamestown Public Schools — Closed Tuesday; no out-of-town buses
- Portsmouth Public Schools — Virtual Learning Day Tuesday
- Tiverton Public Schools — Closed Tuesday (no virtual instruction)
- Little Compton Public Schools — Virtual Learning Day Tuesday
- The Met – East Bay (Newport) — Closed Tuesday
- All Saints Academy (Middletown) — Closed Tuesday
- Bradley School (Portsmouth) — Distance Learning Day Tuesday
- Pennfield School (Portsmouth) — Closed Tuesday
- St. Michael’s Country Day School (Newport) — Closed Tuesday
- St. Philomena School (Portsmouth) — Closed Tuesday
Newport County closings for today (Monday)
Government and municipal:
- Newport City Hall — Closed
- Newport Public Library — Closed
- Naval Station Newport — Closed; mission essential personnel only; all activities canceled
- Middletown Town Hall — Closed
- Middletown Public Library — Closed
- Middletown Senior Center — Closed
- Jamestown Philomenian Library — Closed; no programming or meetings
- Tiverton Library — Closed
- Tiverton Senior Center — Closed; no bus on Tuesday
- Brownell Library (Little Compton) — Closed
- Portsmouth Free Library — Closed
- Portsmouth Senior Center — Closed; all activities canceled
Schools and childcare:
- Salve Regina University — Closed
- Boys and Girls Clubs of Newport — Closed
- Head Start EBCAP (Newport) — All sites closed
- Bloom (Middletown) — Closed
Health services:
- Newport Mental Health (Middletown) — Closed
Community organizations:
- Child and Family Services of Newport County — Closed
- Edward King House Senior Center (Newport) — Closed
- James L. Maher Center (Middletown) — Closed; residential report all shifts
- Little Compton Community Center — Closed; no lunch, childcare, or events
- Preservation Society of Newport County — Closed
- Save the Bay Hamilton Family Aquarium (Newport) — Closed through Wednesday
- Newport Family and Child Opportunity Zone — Closed; no AM/PM Champion Childcare
Also closed Tuesday:
- Newport City Hall and offices — Closed Tuesday
- Boys and Girls Clubs of Newport — Closed Tuesday
- Bloom (Middletown) — Closed Tuesday
- Lilyfrog (Portsmouth) — Closed Tuesday
- Sandpiper Early Learning Center (Middletown) — Closed Tuesday
- Sakonnet Early Learning Center (Tiverton) — Closed Tuesday
- James L. Maher Center (Middletown) — Closed Tuesday; residential report all shifts
- Newport Mental Health (Middletown) — Closed Tuesday
- Child and Family Services of Newport County — Closed Tuesday
- Newport Family and Child Opportunity Zone — Closed Tuesday; no AM/PM Champion Childcare
- Portsmouth Free Library — Closed Tuesday
- Newport Public Library — Closed Tuesday
- Middletown Town Hall — Closed Tuesday
- Middletown Public Library — Closed Tuesday
- Middletown Senior Center — Closed Tuesday
- Tiverton Library — Closed Tuesday; Union Library also closed
- Tiverton Senior Center — Closed Tuesday; no bus
- MLK Community Center (Newport) — Closed Tuesday; all programs
- Norman Bird Sanctuary (Middletown) — Closed through Tuesday
- Viking Bridge Club (Portsmouth) — Closed Tuesday
- St. Barnabas (Portsmouth) — Morning Mass Tuesday canceled
- Holy Ghost Church (Tiverton) — 7 a.m. Mass and adoration canceled Tuesday; office closed
- St. Mark’s Church (Jamestown) — Closed Tuesday; no 8 a.m. Mass
- Salve Regina University — Closed Tuesday
- Head Start EBCAP (Newport) — All sites closed Tuesday
- Peoples Credit Union (Middletown) — Closed Tuesday; member service center open
- Herff Jones (Portsmouth) — Closed Tuesday
Businesses:
- BankNewport — Closed
- MLK Community Center (Newport) — Closed; all programs
- Norman Bird Sanctuary (Middletown) — Closed through Tuesday
- Peoples Credit Union (Middletown) — Closed; member service center is open
- Herff Jones (Portsmouth) — Closed
- Newport trash and recycling collection — Suspended for Tuesday
The forecast for Newport County
Tonight: Snow likely, mainly before 7 p.m. Areas of blowing snow between midnight and 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. Blustery, with a northwest wind 13 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Total nighttime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 30. Northwest wind around 11 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Tuesday night: A chance of snow, mainly after 5 a.m. Increasing clouds, with a low around 19. West wind 6 to 9 mph becoming southwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
Wednesday: Rain and snow, becoming all rain after noon. High near 39. South wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Tuesday Night: A chance of snow, mainly after 5 a.m. Increasing clouds, with a low around 19. West wind 5 to 9 mph becoming southwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
A full list of statewide parking bans, school closings, and other closings and delays is available at ribroadcasters.com.
This is a developing story. What’sUpNewp will continue to update this article as new snowfall and wind reports become available.
For the latest forecast, visit weather.gov/box.