By James M. Arnold, Weather Specialist
The approaching storm is going to be the real deal for much of southern New England. Here is a link to the National Weather Service Office in Taunton where you can get their take of what is on the way: http://www.weather.gov/box/ Plymouth County, the Cape and Islands are now under a Blizzard Warning; much of central and eastern Massachusetts not in the blizzard zone is under a Winter Storm Warning and most of the rest of the state is under a Winter Storm Advisory.
The most serious conditions will occur over coastal areas where heavy snow and high winds will create chaotic conditions. Snow depths could reach 18 inches in isolated pockets of the South Shore and there is the real threat of damage from falling branches and trees due to the heavy, wet snow and winds gusting to near hurricane force across shore areas. Power outages are almost a certainty at the height of the storm. Due to already high astronomical tides, a storm surge and large and battering waves, coastal flooding will become a serious issue as will beach erosion. East facing beaches will likely suffer moderate to major erosion. The marine community is urged to take all necessary precautions to maximize safety and not put first responders in jeopardy.
Our conditions will feature snow beginning around dawn tomorrow and become steadier and heavier during the morning. Snow will fall heavily during the afternoon and evening before tapering off and ending around midnight. Tuesday will also see some light snow, but nothing like we see tomorrow. Accumulations look like 4 to 6 inches to our west and 6 to 12 inches in and around Shrewsbury and points to our east. Temperatures will be around 25° to 30° at the beginning of the storm but will fall to near 20° by tomorrow night. Winds will be from the north and northeast at 10 to 20 mph. Snow will be lighter and fluffier here, contributing to drifting and blowing of the snow. There will also be a little additional snow on Tuesday as another disturbance moves in, but this will be of limited importance compared to Monday.
James M. Arnold is a Weather Specialist working with Shrewsbury Emergency Management Agency; town of Princeton; Worcester Emergency Communications and Emergency Management Agency; Southborough Emergency Management Agency; town of Grafton and Wachusett Mountain Ski Area