Nor’easter to wallop Massachusetts: More than a foot of snow, hazardous travel conditions
A classic powerful nor’easter is getting ready to blast Massachusetts, delivering heavy snow and gusty winds to the region starting Monday afternoon.
More than a foot of snow is expected to get dumped on the Bay State by the time the winter storm leaves on Tuesday, forecasters predict. The Boston area is set to receive 12 to 18 inches.
Light snowfall should begin in the late morning on Monday, and then start to get heavy in the afternoon. Meteorologists are warning people to stay off the roads, especially between 2 and 8 p.m. when they’re predicting 1 to 2 inches of snow per hour.
“That causes hazardous road conditions,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Rob Megnia, who’s based in its Norton office. “If you have plans to travel, avoid doing so if you can. If you have to go out, give yourself plenty of time.”
Approaching 2 inches of snow per hour means very poor visibility, said Shawn Kelley of Lowell’s Mill City Weather.
“You can’t really travel in 2 inches of snow,” he said. “You should definitely stay off the roads if you can.”
Kelley called it a “classic nor’easter.”
“Our confidence is high on this storm,” he added. “We’ve seen this setup over the years for around a foot or so.”
By the Tuesday morning commute, there could still be light snow, but the main roads should be significantly improved from Monday evening’s drive, Megnia said.
“The secondary roads could still be impacted by Tuesday morning,” he added.
The initial forecast for the Boston region was 6 to 8 inches of snow, but the forecast jumped up to 12 to 18 inches because of new data about the rain/snow line.
“We’ve officially upgraded the winter storm watch to a winter storm warning,” National Weather Service Boston tweeted Sunday afternoon. “Confidence has grown that the rain/snow line will be far enough south to allow snowfall amounts of a foot or more for portions of eastern MA and Rhode Island.”
Power outages are a concern because of high wind gusts and the heavy wet snow. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph in the Boston area, and in the 50 mph range along the Cape.
Wind gusts during the storm may cause downed trees and power lines, resulting in power outages.
“Heavier wet snow and strong winds could contribute to power outages,” Megnia said.
Ahead of the storm, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency advised that residents, “Check generators, keep electronics charged, locate flashlights & radio & extra batteries.”
The heavier wet snow is more difficult to shovel. Megnia stressed that people should give themselves plenty of time to shovel out, adding, “People need to be careful. That heavy snow can put a big strain on the heart.”
from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3taJGPM
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