Storm Update: Mix of Sleet + Snow to Continue Through Afternoon

Wednesday, February 05, 2014

John Ghiorse, GoLocalWorcester Meteorlogist

The heavy snow of early this morning has been transitioning over to sleet, freezing rain and rain from south to north across the region and this process will continue through the afternoon. It's a messy situation but typical of many winter storms we get here in Southern New England.

The precipitation may go back to all snow later today or this evening but by that time most of the heavy precipitation will be out of the area. So I wouldn't expect more than an additional inch or two before it all comes to an end later tonight.

National Weather Service

.LOW PRESSURE MOVING FROM THE MID-ATLANTIC THIS MORNING WILL
TRACK SOUTH OF NANTUCKET LATE TODAY. THIS STORM WILL BRING A
LARGE SWATH OF 6 TO 12 INCHES OF SNOWFALL AWAY FROM THE SOUTH
COAST. FOR THE IMMEDIATE SOUTH COAST OF MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE
ISLAND...3 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED BEFORE A CHANGEOVER TO
SLEET AND RAIN FROM 9 AM TO MIDDAY. SNOW WILL TAPER OFF DURING THE
AFTERNOON EXCEPT ACROSS NORTHERN MASSACHUSETTS AND SOUTHWEST NEW
HAMPSHIRE WHERE SNOW MAY LINGER UNTIL THE EVENING.

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST THIS
EVENING...

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

* TIMING...SNOW IS BEGINNING TO OVERSPREAD THE REGION THIS MORNING
AND IS EXPECTED TO BECOME HEAVY BY 6 OR 7 AM. SNOWFALL RATES OF
1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR ARE ANTICIPATED THROUGH MIDDAY BEFORE
TAPERING OFF DURING THE AFTERNOON.

* ACCUMULATIONS...SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 8 TO 12 INCHES...ALONG
WITH AROUND A TRACE OF ICE IN SPOTS.

* IMPACTS...DIFFICULT TRAVEL CONDITIONS AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES
DUE TO HEAVY SNOW AND SNOW COVERED ROADS...ESPECIALLY FOR THIS
MORNINGS COMMUTE.

* WINDS...NORTHEAST 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 20 MPH.

* VISIBILITIES...ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS AT TIMES.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE UPPER 20S.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.