By Beth David, Editor
Both the Fairhaven Select Board and the Acushnet SB held emergency meetings to prepare for the big snow storm, which turned out to be a bigger blizzard than the legendary Blizzard of 1978. Both towns acknowledged and accepted the governor’s state of emergency and declared emergencies to be able to access disaster funds for reimbursement of the extra costs of the storm.
The governor ordered a travel ban on Monday that was lifted on Tuesday at noon.
The storm started on Sunday evening and raged with heavy snow and high winds all day on Monday. Snow totals ranged from 24 to 37 inches. Fairhaven got walloped with more than 30 inches. According to the National Weather Service, Acushnet got 31.3; New Bedford got 31. Fairhaven was not on the list, but local reports came in at more than 30 inches.
In 1978 Fairhaven got 26, but there was already 12 inches on the ground.
There were widespread power outages in the whole region, mostly due to tree limbs falling on lines in the wind that gusted up to 67 miles per hours. By press time, 1670 customers in Fairhaven were still without power, 19.8%; in Acushnet, 157, 3.36% were still in the dark; New Bedford still had 1049, or 2.17% without power.
Even late Tuesday night, the outer Cape had widespread outages with Provincetown being 100% without power, and Wellfleet at 98.7% out. Estimates for restoring power ranged from one day to three days.
Both Fairhaven and Acushnet anticipated it would be several days before they could get to tall the side streets. The problem is that only the larger pieces of equipment are able to handle this much snow.
Fairhaven set up a shelter at the Middle School, and more than 20 people took advantage of it on Tuesday. Most were there because they had no power and no heat.
Many residents used their personal vehicles, snow blowers, and shovels to clear their roads.
Fairhaven asked for additional equipment from the state and was able to some through the Mass. Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).
Fairhaven Town Administrator, Keith Hickey, said the public works department went “above and beyond,” and the town worked with state representative Mark Sylvia to get the equipment.
“It’s been really a team effort,” said Mr. Hickey. “It’s been nice.”
He also said he knows the roads are not being cleared as quickly as people would like, but, “This is a pretty extraordinary event.”
“I know it’s not ideal and some people are frustrated with the time it’s taking to clear the roads, but I assure you the public works department is doing everything it can to clear the streets as quickly as possible,” said Mr. Hickey. “But when you have 30-plus inches of snow, nobody is prepared for that.”
Public Works Superintendent, Vinnie Furtado, said two front loaders broke down during the storm. One had an antifreeze leak, the other an electrical problem, so that slowed things down.
He also said they pulled the crews off the road for part of Monday because conditions were too dangerous. He said they had no visibility
Mr. Furtado said the town got a front loader and two triaxle vehicles through MEMA from parts of the state that did not get hit as hard.
The department has a plan for reaching all the neighborhoods, he said, but those plans have to be flexible to accommodate Eversource, which has to get to downed lines to restore power; and also for medical emergencies.
Schools in both towns were scheduled to be closed through at least Wednesday.
Both towns have a system to alert residents and give updates.
For shelter/warming center information, call the Fairhaven Fire Department at 508-994-1428 x 7201. In Acushnet, dial 911.
To sign up for alerts that you can get by phone, text, and email:
• Fairhaven (smart911): through the town’s website at https://fairhaven-ma.gov or https://tinyurl.com/4nr3nfmn
• Acushnet (NotifyMe): through the town’s website at https://www.acushnet.ma.us or https://tinyurl.com/mwfdyz3j
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- Frank Crowell is more than knee deep in snow as he shovels out Moravia Avenue on Sconticut Neck after the Blizzard of 2026 dumped more than 30 inches of snow in Fairhaven. Photo by Beth David.
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- Tom and Diane Smith shovel their way to Causeway Road on 2/24/26, the day after the Blizzard of 2026 dumped more than 30 inches of snow in Fairhaven. Photo by Beth David.
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- L-R: Louise Merrick and Julie Schneider take their fur babies out for some fresh air on Sconticut Neck Road on 2/24/26 the day after the Blizzard of 2026 dumped more than 30 inches of snow in Fairhaven. Photo by Beth David.
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- Billy’s Way is clearly impassable by car, but that did not stop someone from venturing out by foot on 2/24/26 the day after the Blizzard of 2026 dumped more than 30 inches of snow in Fairhaven. Photo by Beth David.
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- Some intrepid souls clearly could not stay away from Everybody’s Playground at the Wood School on Sconticut Neck, leaving footprints in the deep snow on 2/24/26 the day after the Blizzard of 2026 dumped more than 30 inches of snow in Fairhaven. Photo by Beth David.
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- This little robin looks right at the camera on 2/23/26, unfazed by the raging blizzard that dumped more than 30 inches of snow in Fairhaven. Photo by Beth David.
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- A path is cut through drifts at least five feet high on Causeway Road on 2/24/26, the day after the Blizzard of 2026 dumped more than 30 inches of snow in Fairhaven. Photo by Beth David.
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Click here to download the 2/26/26 issue: 02-26-26 Blizzard
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