It started with a small number — fewer than 100 customers — losing power around 8 pm on Saturday.

By midnight, nearly the entire East Bay went dark, the result of a power outage that affected 22,840 homes, according to National Grid.

An estimated 110,000 people were left in the dark in Bristol, Warren, and Barrington, according to Bristol Town Administrator Antonio Teixeira.

And with tonight's temperatures expected to fall into the teens with sub-zero wind chills, state and town officials turned their attention to getting shelters ready for residents who may still be without power.

Just after 1 pm on WPRO radio, Chafee announced that the travel ban imposed Saturday morning would be partially lifted to allow Red Cross crews to set up heat shelters and to allow people without power to get to local shelters and relatives' homes.

Teixeira also said the shelter for Bristol residents will be Mt. Hope High School, adding that residents should call the police department at (401) 253-6900 for instructions.

But Teixeira stressed that local crews may still need time to clear secondary roads, and asked residents to wait until their roads are passable before trying to get out.

Warren residents should contact the police department at (401) 245-1311 or the fire department at (401) 245-7600.