Utility crews have successfully restored power to all New Hampshire households affected by Monday’s nor’easter, according to regional outage data compiled Monday evening. The restoration marks the end of a challenging day for line workers who battled heavy snow and wind gusts exceeding 40 mph to return service to communities across the state.
At the height of the storm, several hundred households had lost electricity as wet, heavy snow combined with strong winds to bring down tree limbs and affect power lines. While outages remained relatively limited compared to major winter storms in years past, the scattered nature of the damage required crews to traverse difficult terrain in remote areas.
The New Hampshire Department of Transportation reports that all major highways and state roads have been cleared and treated, though drivers should remain cautious of potential icy patches in shaded areas and on secondary roads. State transportation teams worked continuously through Monday’s storm to maintain travel corridors, deploying more than 200 plow trucks across the highway system.
Commuters should expect normal travel conditions Tuesday morning, with the exception of some lingering snow piles at intersections that may reduce visibility. The DOT advises allowing extra time for the morning commute as the combination of overnight refreezing and peak traffic volumes can create delays.
Eversource and Unitil, the state’s major electric utilities, credited investments in grid hardening and tree trimming programs for limiting the scope of outages during this event. Both companies had staged crews in advance of the storm, positioning personnel to respond quickly as damage reports came in.
With power fully restored and roads cleared, attention now turns to the potential for additional snow midweek. Forecasters are monitoring a system that could bring accumulating snow to the region Wednesday into Thursday, though confidence in the storm track remains low.
Information sourced from Boston.com regional monitoring, New Hampshire DOT, and utility provider reports.