Storm Coordination Message #3 – Wednesday 3/7/18-Thursday 3/8/18 Winter Storm Potential

March 6, 2018 Rob Macedo Leave a comment

Hello to all…

..Post Storm Coordination Message on the Major Coastal Storm delayed to get coordination message for the mid-week storm out first. Still pushing towards a post storm message this evening. Any damage photos can be posted as a reply to this email, via the WX1BOX Facebook or Twitter feeds or to the email address pics@nsradio.org..
..Major Coastal Storm to Affect Southern New England Midday Wednesday into Thursday Morning. This storm will bring a widespread heavy snow to areas north and west of I-95 though some parts of Southeast Massachusetts may get accumulating snow as well as strong winds and minor coastal flooding though the winds and coastal flooding will not be as significant as the prior storm. Snow near any rain/snow line will be heavy and wet and could lead to isolated to scattered pockets of tree and wire damage and isolated to scattered power outages..
..A Winter Storm Warning is now in effect from 7 AM Wednesday to 1 PM Thursday for Franklin, Hampshire, Western Hampden, Worcester, Northern and Central Middlesex, and Western Essex Counties of Massachusetts from 7 AM Wednesday to 1 PM Thursday for 12-18″ of snow with localized amounts of 20″ possible. The snow will be heavy and wet in some areas especially closest to the rain-snow line and could lead to isolated to scattered pockets of tree and wire damage and isolated to scattered power outages..
..A Winter Storm Warning is now in effect from 7 AM Wednesday to 9 AM Thursday for Northern Connecticut, Eastern Hampshire, Eastern Hampden, and Northwest Providence County Rhode Island for 8-12″ of snow in valley location with localized amounts to 12-18″ possible in the hill towns. The snow will be heavy and wet in some areas especially closest to the rain-snow line and could lead to isolated to scattered pockets of tree and wire damage and isolated to scattered power outages..
..A Winter Weather Advisory is now in effect from 7 AM to 9 PM Wednesday for Kent, Southeast Providence and Washington Counties Rhode Island and Southeast Middlesex, Western Norfolk, and Eastern Essex Counties of Massachusetts for 2-5″ of snow and most of that snow falling during the evening commute before the snow mixes with and changes to rain. Areas south and east of this advisory area will likely see a period of snow before changing to rain and the rain becoming heavy at times. The southern edges of the Winter Storm Watches have been cancelled..
..A Flood Watch is now in effect from Wednesday Morning through Thursday Afternoon for all of Rhode Island and Southeast Massachusetts from Suffolk and Norfolk Counties southeastward except for Cape Cod and the Islands. Rainfall of 1-2″ with isolated higher amounts in a 6 hour period may cause urban and poor drainage flooding as well as renewed river and stream flooding given prior flooding from the previous storm..
..A High Wind Warning is now in effect from 10 AM to 9 PM Wednesday for Block Island Rhode Island. A High Wind Warning is now in effect from 1 PM Wednesday to 1 AM Thursday for Eastern Plymouth County Massachusetts and Cape Cod and the Islands. A High Wind Warning is now in effect from 4 PM Wednesday to 3 AM Thursday for Eastern Essex County Massachusetts. These High Wind Warnings are for sustained winds of 20-30 MPH with gusts to 60 MPH and the potential for isolated to scattered pockets of tree and wire damage and isolated to scattered power outages..
..A Wind Advisory is now in effect from 10 AM to 9 PM Wednesday for Newport and Washington Counties RI. A Wind Advisory is now in effect from 1 PM Wednesday to 1 AM Thursday for Western Essex, Norfolk, Southeast Middlesex, Bristol and Western Plymouth Counties of Massachusetts. These Wind Advisories are for sustained winds of 20-30 MPH with gusts to 50 MPH with isolated higher gusts possible and the potential for isolated to scattered pockets of tree and wire damage and isolated to scattered power outages..
..A Coastal Flood Warning is now in effect from 2 AM to 6 AM Thursday for Eastern Essex County Massachusetts for minor to moderate coastal flooding at the time of high tide potentially exacerbated by prior storm coastal flood damage. A Coastal Flood Advisory is now in effect from 2 AM to 6 AM for Eastern Plymouth County, Cape Cod and Nantucket Island for minor coastal flooding at the time of high tide and any residual water from the prior storm and any weakened infrastructure could result in slightly greater impacts..
..SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Taunton are likely 1 PM Wednesday Afternoon lasting through at least 1230 AM Thursday Morning. The overnight high tide cycle will likely be monitored via SKYWARN Self-Activation..

Another major coastal storm is taking aim at Southern New England for Wednesday into Thursday. The headlines have the latest info. A few key items/factors for this coastal storm:

1.) This storm will not have winds as high or coastal flooding as severe as the prior coastal storm but there will be some strong to damaging winds at the coast line and minor coastal flooding that with weakened infrastructure may have more impact than normal given the prior storm. Wind and Coastal flood headlines are now posted for portions of Eastern New England.
2.) This storm will have very heavy snow accumulations for interior locations and it could be a heavy wet snow in at least a portion of the Winter Storm Warning area and possibly in the Winter Weather Advisory area, this could lead to pockets of tree and power line damage and power outages.
3.) The most problematic part of this winter storm forecast is the rain-snow line position and where the potential heavy wet snow lines up in the region and how widespread it is. Model solutions have been a bit warmer leading to adjustments in the Winter Storm Warning area, Winter Weather Advisories being issued in the southern portion of the Winter Storm Watch/Warning areas and a Flood Watch being posted in Southeast New England. This will bear close monitoring throughout the storm event.

SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Taunton are likely 1 PM Wednesday Afternoon lasting through at least 1230 AM Thursday Morning. The overnight high tide cycle will likely be monitored via SKYWARN Self-Activation. This could be the last coordination message for this storm system unless a significant change to the situation occurs and time allows for an update. Below is the NWS Taunton Winter Storm Warning/Winter Weather Advisory statement, Hazardous Weather Outlook, Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook, Snowfall Maps, and Facebook Winter Storm briefing post:

NWS Taunton Winter Storm Warning/Winter Weather Advisory Statement:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.wwus41.KBOX.html

NWS Taunton Flood Watch Statement:

http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.wgus61.KBOX.html

NWS Taunton High Wind Warning/Wind Advisory Statement:

http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.wwus71.KBOX.html

NWS Taunton Coastal Flood Warning/Advisory Statement:

http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.whus41.KBOX.html

NWS Taunton Hazardous Weather Outlook:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.flus41.KBOX.html

NWS Taunton Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook:
https://www.weather.gov/box/ehwo

NWS Taunton Snowfall Maps:
http://www.weather.gov/box/winter

NWS Taunton Facebook Winter Storm Briefing Post:

https://www.facebook.com/NWSBoston/photos/pcb.1646544078773290/1646543695439995/?type=3&theater

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Assistant 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
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