Storm Coordination Message #1 – Friday Night 4/17/20-Saturday Morning 4/18/20 Winter Storm Event

Hello to all…

..A mid-April light to moderate snowstorm for interior Southern New England is possible to likely Friday Night into Saturday Morning. Position of the heaviest snow is still in question and the snow is expected to be heavy and wet and if its able to accumulate greater than 4″, isolated pockets of tree and power line damage and isolated power outages could develop..
..SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor for snowfall total reports and wet snow damage reports Friday Night into Saturday Morning..

A storm system will affect interior Southern New England with accumulating wet snow as rain changes over to snow during Friday Night. The highest chance for snowfall in the area of 2-5″ with isolated higher amounts would be over portions of Northern Connecticut and Western, Central and interior Northeast Massachusetts at this time. This could shift as we get closer to the storm event. Key factors for this storm system are as follows:

1.) Models are varying in where the heaviest snow will fall. Some models favor Western, Central and interior Northeast Massachusetts and parts of Northern Connecticut. Other models including European guidance have interior Connecticut, Rhode Island and interior Southeast Massachusetts for this band of heavier snow. This will be monitored in future model guidance.
2.) The snow will be heavy and wet which will cut down on the snowfall to liquid water ratios but it also means any snowfall of 4″ or more could cause isolated pockets of tree and wire damage and isolated power outages and this potential will need to be monitored. This is especially true for the higher elevations of interior Southern New England.
3.) The snow will fall mostly overnight into early Saturday Morning. Given the timeframe, its a favorable factor for snow accumulation and could impact some roadways.
4.) How much cold air is available for snow accumulation and when does the changeover from rain to snow occur. This will be a factor in total snowfall.
5.) There could be a few hour period of 1″ per hour snowfall based on the model guidance for interior Southern New England. Coastal New England could see a rain/snow mix but little if any snow accumulation at this time.

SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor for snowfall total reports and wet snow damage reports Friday Night into Saturday Morning. Another coordination message will be posted by 1000 AM Friday Morning. Below is the NWS Boston/Norton Hazardous Weather Outlook, Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook and Snow and Ice Maps:

NWS Boston/Norton Hazardous Weather Outlook:
https://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.flus41.KBOX.html

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

NWS Boston/Norton Snow and Ice Maps:
https://www.weather.gov/box/winter

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
Like us on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/wx1box
Follow us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/wx1box