Blizzard Coordination Message #4 – Friday Morning 2/8/13-Saturday 2/9/13 Major Nor’easter/Blizzard Event
Hello to all..
..Major Nor’easter/Blizzard Remains Likely for Southern New England. Preparations for this major system should be completed by Friday late Morning to early afternoon at the latest..
..A Blizzard Warning is now in effect from 6 AM Friday to 1 PM Saturday Afternoon for Essex, Central and Southeast Middlesex, Southern Worcester, Norfolk, Suffolk, Bristol, Plymouth, Dukes and Barnstable Counties of Massachusetts and all of Rhode Island for potential blizzard conditions and 18 to 24 inches of snow with isolated higher amounts. Winds sustained at 30 to 40 MPH with gusts to at least 65 MPH with possible higher gusts to hurricane force possible along the Southeast New England coast will cause potential for tree and wire damage and scattered power outages. The Blizzard Warning covers both the damaging wind threat as well as heavy snowfall..
..A Blizzard Warning is now in effect from 6 AM Friday Morning through 1 PM Saturday Afternoon for Northern Connecticut for 18 to 24 Inches of snow with isolated higher amounts and sustained winds of 20-30 MPH with gusts up to 50 MPH leading to Blizzard Conditions and the potential for isolated to scattered pockets of tree and wire damage and power outages..
..A Winter Storm Warning is now in effect for Franklin, Northern Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Northern Middlesex Counties of Massachusetts, and Southern New Hampshire from Friday Morning through Saturday Afternoon for 18 to 24 inches of snow with isolated higher amounts and the potential for near blizzard conditions with sustained winds of 15-25 MPH with gusts up to 50 MPH..
..A Winter Storm Warning and High Wind Warning is now in effect from 1 PM Friday to 7 PM Saturday in Nantucket Island for 4-8 inches of snow with sustained winds 30-50 MPH with gusts up to 70 MPH and possibly wind gusts to hurricane force. Near Blizzard conditions are possible if the highest winds overlap with the heaviest snowfall..
..A Coastal Flood Warning is now in effect from 8 PM Friday Evening through Noon Saturday for Eastern Essex, Suffolk, Eastern Norfolk, Eastern Plymouth, Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket Counties from Friday Evening through Saturday Afternoon. The potential exists for a moderate coastal flood event for the Friday Evening high tide and a moderate to major coastal flood event for the Saturday Morning high tide for East Coastal Massachusetts..
..SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Taunton will commence no later than 2 PM and possibly as early as noon time lasting through late Saturday Afternoon with overnight operations Friday Night likely..
..ARES/RACES/EMCOMM Groups across the region are asked to monitor this potential major nor’easter/blizzard closely and seek advice from local leadership..
..Pictures from this major storm event will likely be helpful for situational awareness and disaster intelligence purposes. They can be sent as a reply to this message or to the email address pics@nsradio.org with credit given to the spotter or Ham Operator for sending the pictures unless otherwise noted..
A potentially major nor’easter, blizzard is likely for Southern New England. This system may reach a historic status in its impacts across the region. Preparations for this major system should be completed by Friday late morning to early afternoon at the latest.
The most significant update in this coordination message is that the Blizzard Watch area has been upgraded to a Blizzard Warning except for Nantucket Island. Snowfall amounts remain similar to the previous message. Isolated higher amounts of snowfall greater than 24″ will likely occur in a band or couple bands within the Blizzard Warning area. For Nantucket Island, the Blizzard Watch has been converted to a Winter Storm Warning and High Wind Warning as conditions may not reach blizzard criteria on the island but near blizzard conditions are possible. The other significant update is that the Coastal Flood Watch for East Coastal Massachusetts has been converted to a Coastal Flood Warning from 8 PM Friday Evening to Noon Saturday. Moderate Coastal flooding remains likely during the evening high tide with moderate to major coastal flooding likely during the Saturday Morning high tide.
Meantime, the headlines of Blizzard, Winter Storm, High Wind, and Coastal Flood Warnings with snowfall amounts and potential impacts capture this storm’s potential. Below are some details that still are not yet known with this major storm system:
1.) Small deviations in storm track will affect where the coastal front sets up that will separate all snow areas from a snow to mixed precipitation/rain back over to snow situation. Since the last coordination message, there are no changes to note here except for lesser snowfall amounts expected on Nantucket Island.
2.) Potential impacts will vary based on the speed of the system. Models continue to show this powerful storm will slow down over the region extending the impacts further into the day on Saturday. This will result in higher snowfall amounts and greater impacts from coastal flooding for 2 high tide cycles as well as a stronger period of strong to damaging winds over the region.
3.) The consistency of the snow, i.e.: heavier wet snow versus a drier snow coupled with the strong to damaging winds could determine the extent of any tree and wire damage and potential power outages. Its not clear at this stage where the higher impact areas will be for any tree and wire damage areas though East and South Coastal Massachusetts and Cape Cod and the Islands could be the zone of overlap between heavier wetter snow and the strongest winds.
People should prepare for this major storm similar to other past major winter storms for the region. Have plenty of batteries and battery powered equipment on hand and test out this equipment and any generator equipment. Make sure you have gas for your generator as well. If it turns out that you do not lose power in the storm, you will be better prepared for the next storm system.
Pictures from this major storm event will likely be helpful for situational awareness and disaster intelligence purposes. They can be sent as a reply to this message or to the email address pics@nsradio.org with credit given to the spotter or Ham Operator for sending the pictures unless otherwise noted.
SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Taunton will commence no later than 2 PM Friday Afternoon possibly starting as early as Noon time lasting through the overnight into late Saturday Afternoon. ARES/RACES/EMCOMM Groups across the region are asked to monitor this potential major nor’easter/blizzard closely and seek advice from local leadership. The final coordination message will be issued by 1130 AM Friday Morning. Below is the NWS Taunton Blizzard/Winter Storm Warning Statement, High Wind Warning Statement, Coastal Flood Warning Statement, Hazardous Weather Outlook and Snowfall Accumulation Prediction Map:
NWS Taunton Blizzard/Winter Storm Warning Statement:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.wwus41.KBOX.html
NWS Taunton Coastal Flood Warning Statement:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.whus41.KBOX.html
NWS Taunton High Wind Warning Statement:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.wwus71.KBOX.html
NWS Taunton Hazardous Weather Outlook:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.flus41.KBOX.html
NWS Taunton Snowfall Accumulation Prediction Map:
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/box/StormTotalSnow/index.php
Respectfully Submitted,
Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 508-346-2929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
http://beta.wx1box.org
Hello to all..
..Major Nor’easter/Blizzard Remains Likely for Southern New England. Preparations for this major system should be completed by Friday late Morning to early afternoon at the latest..
..A Blizzard Warning is now in effect from 6 AM Friday to 1 PM Saturday Afternoon for Essex, Central and Southeast Middlesex, Southern Worcester, Norfolk, Suffolk, Bristol, Plymouth, Dukes and Barnstable Counties of Massachusetts and all of Rhode Island for potential blizzard conditions and 18 to 24 inches of snow with isolated higher amounts. Winds sustained at 30 to 40 MPH with gusts to at least 65 MPH with possible higher gusts to hurricane force possible along the Southeast New England coast will cause potential for tree and wire damage and scattered power outages. The Blizzard Warning covers both the damaging wind threat as well as heavy snowfall..
..A Blizzard Warning is now in effect from 6 AM Friday Morning through 1 PM Saturday Afternoon for Northern Connecticut for 18 to 24 Inches of snow with isolated higher amounts and sustained winds of 20-30 MPH with gusts up to 50 MPH leading to Blizzard Conditions and the potential for isolated to scattered pockets of tree and wire damage and power outages..
..A Winter Storm Warning is now in effect for Franklin, Northern Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Northern Middlesex Counties of Massachusetts, and Southern New Hampshire from Friday Morning through Saturday Afternoon for 18 to 24 inches of snow with isolated higher amounts and the potential for near blizzard conditions with sustained winds of 15-25 MPH with gusts up to 50 MPH..
..A Winter Storm Warning and High Wind Warning is now in effect from 1 PM Friday to 7 PM Saturday in Nantucket Island for 4-8 inches of snow with sustained winds 30-50 MPH with gusts up to 70 MPH and possibly wind gusts to hurricane force. Near Blizzard conditions are possible if the highest winds overlap with the heaviest snowfall..
..A Coastal Flood Warning is now in effect from 8 PM Friday Evening through Noon Saturday for Eastern Essex, Suffolk, Eastern Norfolk, Eastern Plymouth, Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket Counties from Friday Evening through Saturday Afternoon. The potential exists for a moderate coastal flood event for the Friday Evening high tide and a moderate to major coastal flood event for the Saturday Morning high tide for East Coastal Massachusetts..
..SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Taunton will commence no later than 2 PM and possibly as early as noon time lasting through late Saturday Afternoon with overnight operations Friday Night likely..
..ARES/RACES/EMCOMM Groups across the region are asked to monitor this potential major nor’easter/blizzard closely and seek advice from local leadership..
..Pictures from this major storm event will likely be helpful for situational awareness and disaster intelligence purposes. They can be sent as a reply to this message or to the email address pics@nsradio.org with credit given to the spotter or Ham Operator for sending the pictures unless otherwise noted..
A potentially major nor’easter, blizzard is likely for Southern New England. This system may reach a historic status in its impacts across the region. Preparations for this major system should be completed by Friday late morning to early afternoon at the latest.
The most significant update in this coordination message is that the Blizzard Watch area has been upgraded to a Blizzard Warning except for Nantucket Island. Snowfall amounts remain similar to the previous message. Isolated higher amounts of snowfall greater than 24″ will likely occur in a band or couple bands within the Blizzard Warning area. For Nantucket Island, the Blizzard Watch has been converted to a Winter Storm Warning and High Wind Warning as conditions may not reach blizzard criteria on the island but near blizzard conditions are possible. The other significant update is that the Coastal Flood Watch for East Coastal Massachusetts has been converted to a Coastal Flood Warning from 8 PM Friday Evening to Noon Saturday. Moderate Coastal flooding remains likely during the evening high tide with moderate to major coastal flooding likely during the Saturday Morning high tide.
Meantime, the headlines of Blizzard, Winter Storm, High Wind, and Coastal Flood Warnings with snowfall amounts and potential impacts capture this storm’s potential. Below are some details that still are not yet known with this major storm system:
1.) Small deviations in storm track will affect where the coastal front sets up that will separate all snow areas from a snow to mixed precipitation/rain back over to snow situation. Since the last coordination message, there are no changes to note here except for lesser snowfall amounts expected on Nantucket Island.
2.) Potential impacts will vary based on the speed of the system. Models continue to show this powerful storm will slow down over the region extending the impacts further into the day on Saturday. This will result in higher snowfall amounts and greater impacts from coastal flooding for 2 high tide cycles as well as a stronger period of strong to damaging winds over the region.
3.) The consistency of the snow, i.e.: heavier wet snow versus a drier snow coupled with the strong to damaging winds could determine the extent of any tree and wire damage and potential power outages. Its not clear at this stage where the higher impact areas will be for any tree and wire damage areas though East and South Coastal Massachusetts and Cape Cod and the Islands could be the zone of overlap between heavier wetter snow and the strongest winds.
People should prepare for this major storm similar to other past major winter storms for the region. Have plenty of batteries and battery powered equipment on hand and test out this equipment and any generator equipment. Make sure you have gas for your generator as well. If it turns out that you do not lose power in the storm, you will be better prepared for the next storm system.
Pictures from this major storm event will likely be helpful for situational awareness and disaster intelligence purposes. They can be sent as a reply to this message or to the email address pics@nsradio.org with credit given to the spotter or Ham Operator for sending the pictures unless otherwise noted.
SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Taunton will commence no later than 2 PM Friday Afternoon possibly starting as early as Noon time lasting through the overnight into late Saturday Afternoon. ARES/RACES/EMCOMM Groups across the region are asked to monitor this potential major nor’easter/blizzard closely and seek advice from local leadership. The final coordination message will be issued by 1130 AM Friday Morning. Below is the NWS Taunton Blizzard/Winter Storm Warning Statement, High Wind Warning Statement, Coastal Flood Warning Statement, Hazardous Weather Outlook and Snowfall Accumulation Prediction Map:
NWS Taunton Blizzard/Winter Storm Warning Statement:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.wwus41.KBOX.html
NWS Taunton Coastal Flood Warning Statement:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.whus41.KBOX.html
NWS Taunton High Wind Warning Statement:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.wwus71.KBOX.html
NWS Taunton Hazardous Weather Outlook:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.flus41.KBOX.html
NWS Taunton Snowfall Accumulation Prediction Map:
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/box/StormTotalSnow/index.php
Respectfully Submitted,
Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 508-346-2929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
http://beta.wx1box.org