John Ghiorse: This Could Be an Epic Storm

Sunday, January 25, 2015

John Ghiorse, GoLocalWorcester Meteorologist

“Blizzard of '15”

It has taken a while but winter is finally getting underway … BIG TIME! Yesterday's few inches were just a prelude to what appears to be one of the biggest and most intense snowstorms in recent years. Of course, the storm has not yet formed but most all of the indicators and forecast models consistently have been pointing to it for a couple of days now.

A weaker storm over the Midwest today is expected to move off the Mid-Atlantic coast tomorrow and intensify rapidly tomorrow night and Tuesday as it moves slowly by us, perhaps looping like the Blizzard of '78. The intensity of the snow, combined with the slow movement could give many of us more than 2 feet of snow before it's all over … the faster it moves, the less snow we can expect and vice-versa.

The National Weather Service has already posted a Blizzard Watch for our area. A Blizzard is defined as a storm that produces blowing and falling snow that reduces visibility to ¼ or less with sustained or frequent wind gusts of 35mph or greater for a period of 3 hours or longer. On the face of it, this storm certainly qualifies.

Snow should begin on our area late tomorrow become heavy overnight and continue through Tuesday, possibly not ending until sometime early Wednesday. New data coming in over the next 24 hours will help me to fill in more details but at this point all Southeastern New Englanders should prepare for a storm that will paralyze travel and, indeed, cause major life-style disruptions for just about all of us.

Related Slideshow: Top 10 Blizzards in MA History

Prev Next

10. Blizzard of 2006

Max Accumulation: Approximately 22"

February 11-13, 2006

Arriving on the evening of Feb. 13, this Nor’easter resulted in heavy snow, coastal flooding and a storm surge in Massachusetts. Wilbraham was the hardest hit area receiving more than 22 inches of snow.

Prev Next

9. Blizzard of 2010

Max Accumulation: Approximately 24"

December 22-29, 2010

This historic blizzard brought as much as two feet of snow to parts of Massachusetts and caused Boston to declare a State of Emergency.

Prev Next

8. Winter Storm Nemo

Max Accumulation: Approximately 25"

February 7-18, 2013

Total snowfall in Boston reached nearly 25 inches, making it the fifth-highest total ever recorded in the city.

Prev Next

7. 1969 Nor’easter

Max Accumulation: Approximately 26"

February 8-10, 1969

This storm blanketed many parts of Massachusetts with upwards of 20 inches of snow, including 26.3 in Boston.

Prev Next

6. Blizzard of 2003

Max Accumulation: Approximately 27.5"

February 14-19, 2013

Know as the President’s Day Storm II, this blizzard brought a record-setting 27.5 inches of snow to Boston.

Prev Next

5. Blizzard of 1996

Max Accumulation: Approximately 30"

Jan. 6-10, 1996

One of two blizzards to receive an “extreme” rating on the Northeast Snowfall Impact Scale, this storm blanketing parts of Western Massachusetts with upwards of 30 inches of snow.

Prev Next

4. Blizzard of 1978

Max Accumulation: Approximately 32"

February 5-7, 1978

This historic nor’easter brought a then-record 27.1 inches of snowfall to Boston and over 32 inches to Rockport. Additionally, the storm killed 73 Bay State residents.

Prev Next

3. April Fool's Day Blizzard

Max Accumulation: Approximately 33"

March 30 to April 1, 1997

This blizzard was no joke, dropping a record-breaking 33 inches on Worcester.

Prev Next

2. Blizzard of 2005

Max Accumulation: Approximately 40"

January 20-23, 2005

This three-day storm delivered more than 40 inches of snow in Mashpee, Massachusetts, one of the hardest hit areas. Some portions of Massachusetts reported 6 foot snow drifts.

Prev Next

1. Great Blizzard of 1888

Max Accumulation: Approximately 50"

March 11-14, 1888

One of the most severe recorded blizzards in the history of the United States, this superstorm dumped as much as 50 inches of snow in parts of Massachusetts.