NEW: Winter Storm Could Bring 12+ Inches of Snow Overnight

Tuesday, February 04, 2014

It certainly looks like we're headed into a stormy period. Yesterday's 2"-5" covering of snow across the area may be the kickoff to what could be a series of 3 or 4 coastal storms over the next couple of weeks.

The second in the series should hit us beginning late tonight and extend through much of tomorrow. The trick with this one is trying to determine just where and when snow will become mixed with or change to sleet and rain. That mix or changeover is most likely to happen later tomorrow morning in the area from Providence south and east. That means that the typical snow belt extending from northern and northwestern Rhode Island into Central Massachusetts, including the Worcester area, should see all snow with potential accumulations in the 7"-12" range.

Most of the accumulation in Central and Southern Rhode Island should occur from a couple of hours before sunrise through the morning commute until mid or late morning. The mixed bag precipitation could go back to all snow before ending later in the day. Amounts in those ares should be 3"-7".

Of course if the storm track changes, it would alter the above mentioned snow/sleet/rain areas, so I'll have another update later today.

National Weather Service: Winter Storm Warning in effect tonight through tomorrow

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
415 AM EST TUE FEB 4 2014

...WINTRY WEATHER WILL RETURN TO SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND LATE
TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...

.LOW PRESSURE WILL DEEPEN OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST LATE TONIGHT
BEFORE PASSING SOUTH OF CAPE COD EARLY WEDNESDAY. THE STORM WILL
SPREAD PLOWABLE SNOW FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE REGION AND
PERHAPS A WINTRY MIX TO THE SOUTH COAST.

CTZ002>004-MAZ002>019-026-NHZ011-012-015-RIZ001>004-041715-
/O.UPG.KBOX.WS.A.0004.140205T0500Z-140205T2300Z/
/O.NEW.KBOX.WS.W.0005.140205T0500Z-140205T2300Z/
HARTFORD CT-TOLLAND CT-WINDHAM CT-WESTERN FRANKLIN MA-
EASTERN FRANKLIN MA-NORTHERN WORCESTER MA-CENTRAL MIDDLESEX MA-
WESTERN ESSEX MA-EASTERN ESSEX MA-WESTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-
WESTERN HAMPDEN MA-EASTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-EASTERN HAMPDEN MA-
SOUTHERN WORCESTER MA-WESTERN NORFOLK MA-SOUTHEAST MIDDLESEX MA-
SUFFOLK MA-EASTERN NORFOLK MA-NORTHERN BRISTOL MA-
WESTERN PLYMOUTH MA-EASTERN PLYMOUTH MA-NORTHERN MIDDLESEX MA-
CHESHIRE NH-EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH NH-
WESTERN AND CENTRAL HILLSBOROUGH NH-NORTHWEST PROVIDENCE RI-
SOUTHEAST PROVIDENCE RI-WESTERN KENT RI-EASTERN KENT RI-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...HARTFORD...WINDSOR LOCKS...UNION...
VERNON...PUTNAM...WILLIMANTIC...CHARLEMONT...GREENFIELD...
ORANGE...BARRE...FITCHBURG...FRAMINGHAM...LOWELL...LAWRENCE...
GLOUCESTER...CHESTERFIELD...BLANDFORD...AMHERST...NORTHAMPTON...
SPRINGFIELD...MILFORD...WORCESTER...FOXBORO...NORWOOD...
CAMBRIDGE...BOSTON...QUINCY...TAUNTON...BROCKTON...PLYMOUTH...
AYER...JAFFREY...KEENE...MANCHESTER...NASHUA...PETERBOROUGH...
WEARE...FOSTER...SMITHFIELD...PROVIDENCE...WEST GREENWICH...
WARWICK
415 AM EST TUE FEB 4 2014

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM
EST WEDNESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM
WARNING FOR SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6
PM EST WEDNESDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* LOCATION...SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE...MOST OF MASSACHUSETTS AS
WELL AS NORTHERN CONNECTICUT AND RHODE ISLAND.

* TIMING...LATE TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

* ACCUMULATIONS...SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 8 TO 12 INCHES WITH
ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF 14 INCHES POSSIBLE.

* IMPACTS...DIFFICULT TRAVEL CONDITIONS AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES
DUE TO SNOW AND SNOW COVERED ROADS...ESPECIALLY FOR THE
WEDNESDAY MORNING COMMUTE.

* WINDS...WILL BE OUT OF THE NORTHEAST AT AROUND 10 TO 15 MPH
WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH.

* VISIBILITIES...MAY DROP DOWN TO ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS AT
TIMES.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE MID 20S.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW AND
ICE ARE POSSIBLE. PLAN TO HAVE TRAVEL COMPLETED TUESDAY EVENING.
CONSIDER ALTERING TRAVEL PLANS FOR WEDNESDAY. STAY TUNED FOR
UPDATED INFORMATION.

A WINTER STORM WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN AN AVERAGE OF 6 OR MORE
INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED IN A 12 HOUR PERIOD...OR FOR 8 OR MORE
INCHES IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD. TRAVEL WILL BE SLOW AT BEST ON WELL
TREATED SURFACES...AND QUITE DIFFICULT ON ANY UNPLOWED OR
UNTREATED SURFACES.

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.