Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Make a sustaining gift today to support local journalism!
0000017a-15d9-d736-a57f-17ff91460001

Winter Storm Blog: Nor'easter Belts N.H., Outages Limited So Far

5:30 p.m.: The New Hampshire Department of Transportation reports that the number of crashes are down today, thanks in part to drivers staying off the roads where possible. Roger Lamontagne, of DOT District 3, took this photo of a car off the road at the end of the Laconia bypass in Gilford:

Credit DOT
A wrecker retrieves a vehicle that went off the end of the Laconia bypass in Gilford on Tuesday.

There are only scattered outages, as of 5:30 p.m. Eversource had halved its customer outage to just 50. 

-----

3 p.m.:  The latest nor'easter is going a lot easier on area utilities than last week's storm. So far.

Unitil spokesman Alec O’Meara says that’s all due to the consistency of the snow falling on trees and power lines.

"The storm last week was that very, very wet, heavy, sticky, oatmealy, pasty kind of snow, whereas this snow is a more normal kind of snow – it has less moisture, it’s blowing around a lot more, but it isn’t sticking to infrastructure.”

In Massachusetts, an estimated 200,000 are without power, as of Tuesday afternoon.

Eversource, New Hampshire's largest utility, reported about 100 customers without power at 3 p.m.  Other utility outage estimates are limited: N.H. Electric Coop, 15; Liberty Utilities, 2; and Unitil, none. 

--------

Midday update: Blizzard conditions are expected to increase this afternoon along the Seacoast, the National Weather Service reports.

As snow begins to pile up, public safety and road crews encourage drivers to use caution - and stay off the roads, if possible. 

Hearty New Englanders tried to make the most of the snow storm, whether it was cross-country skiing to the store, or to the polls. A NHPR follower submitted this via Twitter:

Among scores of school and office closings, Rockingham Park in Salem is closed. And fellow Simon properties, the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester and Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua, closed at noon.

--------

Power companies report being prepared for storm-related outages. As of mid-day Tuesday, few were reported. Eversource had just four customers without electricity.

-------- 

Another nor'easter winter storm will bring more than a foot of snow across New Hampshire today.

It has already resulted in multiple school and office closings, though annual town elections will proceed. 

Credit NHPR Photo
Visibility for motorists is limited on Seacoast roadways.

The National Weather Service has a winter storm watch for the entire Granite State. It issued a blizzard warning for Seacoast communities, which can expect to get the most snowfall.

Snow accumulation projections include 20- to 21- inches of snow in Portsmouth.

The blizzard warning is from 11 a.m. Tuesday to 2 a.m. Wednesday.

There is also a coastal flood advisory, starting at 8 a.m., and extending to midnight.

For expected snowfall, view the Weather Service map at the top of this story.

Noon to sunset will be peak snowfall time, says Margaret Curtis, a forecaster with the National Weather Service.

"At that time we expect snowfall rates of over an inch an hour, which generally makes it hard for the plows to keep up. So expect very poor travel conditions, and certainly avoid travel throughout the afternoon, if you can."

New Hampshire State Police issued an advisory Monday night to urge motorists to slow down and, if possible, stay off roads during the height of the storm. 

Related Content

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.