Storm Coordination Message #2 – late Wednesday Night 3/6/13-Friday Morning 3/8/13 Winter Storm Event

Hello to all..

..Strong Coastal Storm still expected to impact portions of Southern New England over a long period starting late Wednesday Night lasting through Friday Morning. Heavy Wet Snow, Strong to Damaging Winds, and several tidal cycles of coastal flooding remain the primary threats..
..A Winter Storm Watch remains in effect from late Wednesday Night through Friday Morning for Northeast Connecticut, all of Rhode Island, Southern Worcester, Norfolk, Bristol, Plymouth, Suffolk and Barnstable Counties of Massachusetts for 4-8 inches of heavy wet snow with isolated higher amounts, wind gusts to 50-55 MPH with higher gusts possible at the coast and the potential for scattered tree and wire damage and power outages due to the combination of strong winds and heavy wet snow..
..A Winter Storm Watch remains in effect from Thursday Morning to Friday Morning for Hillsborough County NH, Essex, Middlesex and Northern Worcester Counties of Massachusetts for 4-8 inches of heavy wet snow with isolated higher amounts and wind gusts to 35-40 MPH which may result in isolated to scattered pockets of tree and wire damage and power outages due to the combination of strong winds and heavy wet snow..
..A Wind Advisory is now in effect for Marthas Vineyard (Dukes County), Nantucket and Block Island from 9 PN Wednesday Night through 7 AM Friday Morning. It is noted that Wind advisory criteria winds will be possible in portions of Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island but that is covered under the Winter Storm Watch..
..A Coastal Flood Warning is now in effect from 5 AM Thursday Morning to 10 AM Friday Morning for East Coastal Massachusetts including Cape Cod and the Islands for several successive high tide cycles of moderate to pockets of major coastal flooding across the coastal flood warning area..
..A Coastal Flood Advisory is now in effect from 3 AM Thursday to 6 AM Friday for several high tide cycles of beach erosion and possibly minor coastal flooding..
..There are still some higher than normal uncertainties at this time with the rain/snow line, amount of snowfall in the Winter Storm Watch areas and extent of heavy snowfall in northwest portions of the NWS Taunton coverage area including northwest portions of the Winter Storm Watch area. The wind and coastal flood forecasts are a high confidence forecast at the present time..
..SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Taunton will likely be puhsed back to starting at 6 AM Thursday Morning to cover the Thursday early morning high tide cycle and lasting through at least late Thursday Night. SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Taunton will likely be needed for the Friday Morning high tide cycle as well. Overnight operations Thursday Night may or may not be needed and will be evaluated as we get closer to this storm event..
..Wet snow/wind damage and coastal flood/coastal flood damage pictures and videos during this storm event can be sent as a reply to this email or to the email address pics@nsradio.org for sharing with emergency management and the media. Credit will be given to the spotter taking the pictures and video unless otherwise indicated..

The headlines of this coordination message have been updated and detail the threats on an upcoming large and major coastal storm expected to affect Southern New England starting late Wednesday Night and lasting through early Friday Morning. There is somewhat higher uncertainty than normal at this time range. Overnight, model runs have been slightly further offshore with this major storm system which will affect precipitation amounts particularly in western and northwest locations of Southern New England. It appears Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island will bear the greatest impacts from this storm with Southeast Massachusetts and Rhode Island likely having the highest storm impacts in terms of precipitation. There is very high confidence now on the potential coastal flood threat for East Coastal Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the islands over multiple high tide cycles. The wind threat has also become a high confidence forecast with East and South Coastal Massachusetts and Rhode Island having the strongest winds though Wind Advisory criteria winds will likely occur in other parts of Rhode Island and Eastern Massachusetts. Also, some slightly stronger winds greater than 55 MPH wind gusts could occur in parts of Southeast New England. Currently, the main uncertainties at present are as follows:

1.) Position of the rain/snow line and amount of mixed preciptiation at the coastline. This could affect snowfall amounts and the extent of any tree and power line damage and power outages and where they occur. A closer storm track will push the heavier wet snow away from the coast with more of a wet snow/rain mix or more of a plain rain falling at the coast while a storm track further away from the coast puts coastal areas at more risk for heavier wet snow.

2.) Ability of snowfall to accumulate if heaviest precipitation occurs during the day Thursday. Higher sun angle and marginal temperatures may affect and lower accumulations or allow for heavier accumulations on trees, power lines, grassy areas but less on paved surfaces. Spotter reports will be critical during the storm event to determine the extent of snow accumulation.

Wet snow/wind damage and coastal flood/coastal flood damage pictures and videos during this storm event can be sent as a reply to this email or to the email address pics@nsradio.org for sharing with emergency management and the media. Credit will be given to the spotter taking the pictures and video unless otherwise indicated.

SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Taunton will likely be puhsed back to starting at 6 AM Thursday Morning to cover the Thursday early morning high tide cycle and lasting through at least late Thursday Night. SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Taunton will likely be needed for the Friday Morning high tide cycle as well. Overnight operations Thursday Night may or may not be needed and will be evaluated as we get closer to this storm event.

The next coordination message will be posted by 11 PM Wednesday Evening. Below is the NWS Taunton Winter Storm Watch Statement, Coastal Flood Warning Statement, Wind Advisory Statement, Hazardous Weather Outlook and snowfall map:

NWS Taunton Winter Storm Watch 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 Wind Advisory 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 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..

..Strong Coastal Storm still expected to impact portions of Southern New England over a long period starting late Wednesday Night lasting through Friday Morning. Heavy Wet Snow, Strong to Damaging Winds, and several tidal cycles of coastal flooding remain the primary threats..
..A Winter Storm Watch remains in effect from late Wednesday Night through Friday Morning for Northeast Connecticut, all of Rhode Island, Southern Worcester, Norfolk, Bristol, Plymouth, Suffolk and Barnstable Counties of Massachusetts for 4-8 inches of heavy wet snow with isolated higher amounts, wind gusts to 50-55 MPH with higher gusts possible at the coast and the potential for scattered tree and wire damage and power outages due to the combination of strong winds and heavy wet snow..
..A Winter Storm Watch remains in effect from Thursday Morning to Friday Morning for Hillsborough County NH, Essex, Middlesex and Northern Worcester Counties of Massachusetts for 4-8 inches of heavy wet snow with isolated higher amounts and wind gusts to 35-40 MPH which may result in isolated to scattered pockets of tree and wire damage and power outages due to the combination of strong winds and heavy wet snow..
..A Wind Advisory is now in effect for Marthas Vineyard (Dukes County), Nantucket and Block Island from 9 PN Wednesday Night through 7 AM Friday Morning. It is noted that Wind advisory criteria winds will be possible in portions of Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island but that is covered under the Winter Storm Watch..
..A Coastal Flood Warning is now in effect from 5 AM Thursday Morning to 10 AM Friday Morning for East Coastal Massachusetts including Cape Cod and the Islands for several successive high tide cycles of moderate to pockets of major coastal flooding across the coastal flood warning area..
..A Coastal Flood Advisory is now in effect from 3 AM Thursday to 6 AM Friday for several high tide cycles of beach erosion and possibly minor coastal flooding..
..There are still some higher than normal uncertainties at this time with the rain/snow line, amount of snowfall in the Winter Storm Watch areas and extent of heavy snowfall in northwest portions of the NWS Taunton coverage area including northwest portions of the Winter Storm Watch area. The wind and coastal flood forecasts are a high confidence forecast at the present time..
..SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Taunton will likely be puhsed back to starting at 6 AM Thursday Morning to cover the Thursday early morning high tide cycle and lasting through at least late Thursday Night. SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Taunton will likely be needed for the Friday Morning high tide cycle as well. Overnight operations Thursday Night may or may not be needed and will be evaluated as we get closer to this storm event..
..Wet snow/wind damage and coastal flood/coastal flood damage pictures and videos during this storm event can be sent as a reply to this email or to the email address pics@nsradio.org for sharing with emergency management and the media. Credit will be given to the spotter taking the pictures and video unless otherwise indicated..

The headlines of this coordination message have been updated and detail the threats on an upcoming large and major coastal storm expected to affect Southern New England starting late Wednesday Night and lasting through early Friday Morning. There is somewhat higher uncertainty than normal at this time range. Overnight, model runs have been slightly further offshore with this major storm system which will affect precipitation amounts particularly in western and northwest locations of Southern New England. It appears Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island will bear the greatest impacts from this storm with Southeast Massachusetts and Rhode Island likely having the highest storm impacts in terms of precipitation. There is very high confidence now on the potential coastal flood threat for East Coastal Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the islands over multiple high tide cycles. The wind threat has also become a high confidence forecast with East and South Coastal Massachusetts and Rhode Island having the strongest winds though Wind Advisory criteria winds will likely occur in other parts of Rhode Island and Eastern Massachusetts. Also, some slightly stronger winds greater than 55 MPH wind gusts could occur in parts of Southeast New England. Currently, the main uncertainties at present are as follows:

1.) Position of the rain/snow line and amount of mixed preciptiation at the coastline. This could affect snowfall amounts and the extent of any tree and power line damage and power outages and where they occur. A closer storm track will push the heavier wet snow away from the coast with more of a wet snow/rain mix or more of a plain rain falling at the coast while a storm track further away from the coast puts coastal areas at more risk for heavier wet snow.

2.) Ability of snowfall to accumulate if heaviest precipitation occurs during the day Thursday. Higher sun angle and marginal temperatures may affect and lower accumulations or allow for heavier accumulations on trees, power lines, grassy areas but less on paved surfaces. Spotter reports will be critical during the storm event to determine the extent of snow accumulation.

Wet snow/wind damage and coastal flood/coastal flood damage pictures and videos during this storm event can be sent as a reply to this email or to the email address pics@nsradio.org for sharing with emergency management and the media. Credit will be given to the spotter taking the pictures and video unless otherwise indicated.

SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Taunton will likely be puhsed back to starting at 6 AM Thursday Morning to cover the Thursday early morning high tide cycle and lasting through at least late Thursday Night. SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Taunton will likely be needed for the Friday Morning high tide cycle as well. Overnight operations Thursday Night may or may not be needed and will be evaluated as we get closer to this storm event.

The next coordination message will be posted by 11 PM Wednesday Evening. Below is the NWS Taunton Winter Storm Watch Statement, Coastal Flood Warning Statement, Wind Advisory Statement, Hazardous Weather Outlook and snowfall map:

NWS Taunton Winter Storm Watch 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 Wind Advisory 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 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

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