Posted on 01/28/2022 9:17:03 AM PST by Capt. Tom
A powerful nor'easter moving toward Boston could bring snowfall totals high enough to break previous January records, with more than 2 feet of accumulation possible.
The largest snowfall in January in Boston took place back in 2015, when we had 24.6 inches of snow; the largest snowfall ever in the city was President's Day weekend 2003, with 27.6 inches of snow. Those records may still be standing Saturday evening, but there's also a chance they are both broken.
Greater Boston will likely see between 18 and 28 inches, and some pockets could even see more than 30 inches where the heavier bands land.
Temperatures this morning are milder than yesterday by nearly 20 degrees, and it's a good chance to get out and prepare for the big storm before it arrives.
Low pressure moves up the coast on Saturday bringing wind, snow and some coastal flooding. (Courtesy TropicalTidbits) Low pressure moves up the coast on Saturday bringing wind, snow and some coastal flooding. (Courtesy TropicalTidbits) The large, intense storm will move up the coastline Saturday, bringing powerful winds at the coast. It looks as though we will see anywhere from 2 to 4 inches of snow fall per hour during its height. If this lasts for three hours, that puts down 6 to 12 inches of snow in a very short amount of time. This intensity means it will be impossible to travel and even plows will have to pull over and wait it out.
This heavy snowfall will occur from mid-morning through late afternoon. This is the time when travel is not recommended. Temperatures are going to be very cold during the height, allowing the snow to pile up with very high snow to water ratios.
Chris Besse, a spokesman for Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, also emphasized road safety.
"Many of our partners at Mass. [Department of Transportation] and the local officials, they'll be really focused on the roads and the heavy snowfall amounts. And really the best thing people can do there is to stay off the roads if they can tomorrow," Besse said. "Low visibility and blowing winds for an extended period of time can make whiteout and really dangerous travel conditions."
Forecasting the exact placement of heavy snow bands is a bit difficult, similar to forecasting a line of thunderstorms in the summer, but the favorite areas are just southwest of Boston and perhaps also a small area northwest.
A blizzard warning from NWS has been expanded west to the I-495/I-95 corridor.
The entire storm will wind down by around midnight Saturday and when you get up Sunday morning, it will already be clearing.
When you're outside cleaning up, you'll need to use a heavy coat and gloves because it is going to be cold.
Cape Cod is an exception, as temperatures will be in the 30s and snow will be heavy and wet. There may even be some rain on the outer part of the Cape, as well as Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. It is there that the snowfall amounts could end up a lot lower if the rain lasts through the middle of the day.
Cold air will be moving south toward Cape Cod during the storm Saturday. Notice temperatures in the teens in Boston and points north. (Courtesy WeatherBELL) Coastal flooding will occur, but because of the fast-moving nature of the low pressure area, the height of the storm occurring at low tide and the fact that winds will be a little more northerly all prevent a major flooding event.
Coastal flooding is forecast to minor in Boston Harbor on Saturday. (Courtesy NOAA)
Power outages are possible, especially over Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts, where the winds will be strongest. Issues with power are less likely inland because the winds won't be as strong and the light nature of the snow will allow it to blow off the trees and wires.
When you get up Sunday morning, the snow will be over and it will be bright and sunny. The map below shows the percentage of cloud cover, which is forecast to be near-zero.
It continues to be chillier than average into Monday, before we get a moderating trend in the middle of the week. That may not last, however, with more cold air for the second week of February.
God is getting even with us for voting for the Rats so consistently.
I was overseas during that snow storm.
Yep,barrels in parking spaces in winter is an old memory…..I grew up in Boston.
.
And don't forget about the chairs to mark out a parking space. -Tom
Nothing compares with the 1978 blizzard. It went on for 3 days. While Boston’s Logan Airport may have “only” gotten 27 inches, most of the suburbs got between 3 and 4 feet of snow. The guys across the street were jumping into snowdrifts from the second floor in a suburb ten miles north of Boston. Eyewitness report.
My great-aunt and her children ran a little Italian restaurant at West and Breckenridge called Vieni Su. The first time I was in Buffalo it was still operating but when I came back in 1983 it had closed (my great-aunt had passed away by then).
My experience with weather forecasts is that several days out, it’s a crap shoot.
By the time you get to 2-3 days out, it’s pretty certain, and all the more if the forecast remains stable for that time.
The more sure they are of it, by not changing it by 5e day, the more likely it’s going to be what they expect.
Sad to say, they do have to tell people that. There are always idiots who will go out in the middle of conditions no one should be out in, risking not only their own lives, which serves them right, but also the lives of those they expect to rescue them and bail them out when reality bites them hard.
Stupidity should cost you.
But the no t ravel except for emergencies allows them to try to keep the roads clear without having to work around all the idiots who can’t drive in the stuff and have no business being on the road.
I don’t remember that one.
I did not live in the city itself.
Good Point. We had 34 inches one day back in 77 with 100mph winds. Buried the whole town for days. Never have seen any news stories about it. Mainly because there were no cell phones and no electrify either for days.
The weather service is sticking with their forecast.
ISSUED: 3:37 AM JAN. 29, 2022 – NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM EST SUNDAY...
* WHAT...Blizzard conditions expected. Total snow accumulations of 18 to 24 inches with localized 30 inches possible. Winds gusting as high as 70 mph.
* WHERE...Portions of eastern, northeastern and southeastern Massachusetts.
* WHEN...From midnight tonight to 5 AM EST Sunday.
Whatever the government tells you, presume the opposite.
Joe Bastardi at Weather Bell called it right though.
Glad you still have power.
Can you see anything? Or is it just whiteout?
A friend with a Cape House got a power out text already.
, Havent seen a whiteout yet.
Visibility is about 200 yards during the wind gusts.
But right now it is the worst of the storm.-Tom
Not even "Bombaloo"?
I'm sorry, I shouldn't be up this early.
I figure right now where I am, the gusts are hitting 50 mph which is not to bad. Down the Cape they are probably higher.
In anticipatiion of a power outage I am defrosting a steak and hope to fry it on my electric stove before I lose power.
Steak and beans, yummy.-Tom
Alive in Norwood.
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