03/13/2018
**POTENTIALLY HISTORIC BLIZZARD FOR E NEW ENGLAND COULD RIVAL IN SPOTS BLIZZARD OF 78**
Hello Massachusetts! A potentially historic Blizzard is about to impact the region. Snow has started to breakout in some areas. There is a few locations seeing rain currently, but don't fear this will rapidly change to snow by dawn. After dawn, things go downhill. Snow rates will easily hit 2-3" per hour. Some locations could see 4"+ per hour. Thundersnow is likely, especially in E MA.
Winds: Winds should be gusting to as low as 10-20 mph in E NY and extreme W MA. 20-30 mph extends from the Berkshires to I-91. 30-40 mph from I-91 to 495. 40-50 mph from 495 to just slightly inside 128 this includes Boston. 50 mph or higher from just inside 128 to the coast. This would include the North and South Shores.
Coastal Impacts: Thankfully, we are at astronomical low tides so the Coastal Flooding will not be as severe as the last 2 storms and certainly no where near the impacts of the 1st storm. However, due to the past 2 storms and the battering the coast has taken, what would typically be a non-event (in terms of Coastal Marine Impacts) could be slightly more serious. The worst of the Coastal Flooding should be generally confined to the South Shore and Cape Cod. Cape Cod, especially the arm of the Cape as well as Nantucket could see as much a 2 foot storm surge, however this will not be widespread. 1.5' storm surge is possible the South Shore. A foot or less of surge for the North Shore as well as Martha's Vineyard, Block Island and E Long Island.
Snow & Wind: The snow and wind with this storm will be the largest impacts. Snow will fall for the whole region, no matter if you live in the Berkshires or Nantucket. Blizzard conditions will be felt for all areas as far West as 495. Certainly back to 128 will experience near Blizzard, if not Blizzard conditions.
Snow fall totals: For E NY including Albany should be 3-6".
6-10" of snow for the Southern Berkshires, W CT and nosing into the Greater Springfield area, especially along and slightly west of I-91.
10-15" is expected for areas slightly E of I-91, curving back towards Franklin County and NE Berkshire County.
15-20" with no less than 12" from Worcester to 128. This would also include all of E CT and most of RI. As well as most of Cape Cod. Snow will be much wetter the Cape and the Islands so amounts will be kept at bay here.
20-26" with no less than 18" North Shore, Northern Parts of the South Shore and Metro Boston
26-36" with no less than 20" for most of the South Shore as well as much of SE MA. This will be the jackpot zone. This area is where the storm could be potentially historic, coming close to or perhaps beating out the Blizzard of 78.
Timing: Precipitation has already broken out across all of Southern New England and MA. The height of the storm will generally be from 6am-10pm. This window will be much shorter for W MA, Western and Central CT where heaviest snow will be from about 4am-3pm. Residual snow showers will linger overnight tomorrow into Wednesday.
Stay safe and hunker down!!
