Winter Storm Hernando Leaves 613,000 Without Power from Virginia to Massachusetts — Barnstable County Hit Hardest as Outages Continue to Climb
EAST COAST — A powerful winter storm stretching from Virginia to Massachusetts has left more than 613,000 customers without electricity as of 11:00 a.m. ET on February 23, with outages continuing to increase while the storm remains in progress.
The hardest-hit state is Massachusetts, where roughly 275,000 customers are without power. Nearly half of those outages are concentrated in Barnstable County, where more than 138,800 customers are in the dark — representing over 76% of tracked customers in that county.
Outages Span 12 States Along the East Coast
Data compiled late Monday morning shows widespread impacts across multiple states:
- Massachusetts: 275,000 outages
- New Jersey: 130,000 outages
- Delaware: 72,000 outages
- Rhode Island: 43,000 outages
- Maryland: 27,000 outages
- New York: 23,000 outages
- Virginia: 16,000 outages
- Pennsylvania: 12,000 outages
- Connecticut: 15,000 outages
- Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont: Fewer than 1,000 each
The total outage count stood at 613,000 customers, and officials indicated the number was still climbing as heavy wet snow and strong winds continued to impact the region.
Why Barnstable County Was Hit So Hard
Barnstable County, which includes much of Cape Cod, experienced some of the storm’s most severe conditions.
Factors contributing to the massive outage percentage include:
- Heavy, wet snow weighing down tree limbs.
- Strong wind gusts exacerbating stress on power lines.
- Coastal exposure increasing wind intensity.
With more than three-quarters of customers impacted in Barnstable County, restoration efforts are expected to take time, particularly if wind conditions remain elevated.
Wet Snow and Wind Create Widespread Damage
Unlike dry, powdery snow, heavy wet snow adheres to trees and infrastructure. When combined with high wind gusts, it becomes especially destructive.
Across coastal and Mid-Atlantic states, utilities are reporting:
- Downed trees blocking roadways.
- Snapped utility poles.
- Extensive branch damage.
- Hazardous travel conditions.
As the storm continues, additional outages remain possible in exposed coastal regions.
What This Means for North Carolina
While North Carolina is not experiencing the widespread power outages seen farther north, this large-scale storm system continues to influence the broader East Coast weather pattern.
For Cabarrus County:
- No widespread power disruptions have been reported.
- Cooler air behind the departing storm may influence regional temperatures.
- Breezy conditions could develop depending on the storm’s final track.
Residents are encouraged to stay weather-aware, especially as late-winter storms can sometimes trigger rapid temperature shifts across the Southeast.
Restoration Efforts Underway
Utility crews across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic are working to restore service. Mutual assistance agreements between states may be activated to help address the most heavily impacted regions, particularly Massachusetts and New Jersey.
With over 600,000 customers already affected and the storm still ongoing at the time of reporting, additional impacts cannot be ruled out.
Cabarrus Weekly will continue monitoring the storm’s evolution and any downstream weather changes that could affect North Carolina.
Stay with CabarrusWeekly.com for continued weather updates and regional coverage.
