Storm Coordination Message #3 – Thursday Evening 4/15/21-Friday 4/16/21 Coastal Storm Hazards

Hello to all…

..A Coastal Storm will bring beneficial rainfall to Southern New England but also the potential for heavy wet snow to the higher elevations of Western Massachusetts particularly the east slopes of the Berkshires and the Northern Worcester County hill towns though some lower elevations in Western and Central Massachusetts could also see accumulating snowfall..
..A Winter Storm Warning is now in effect from 8 PM Thursday Evening to 8 PM Friday Evening for Western Franklin and Western Hampshire Counties of Massachusetts for 5-8″ of snow with localized amounts up to 10″ possible in areas about 1500 feet. The snow will be heavy and wet and have the potential to cause isolated to scattered pockets of tree and wire damage and power outages..
..A Winter Weather Advisory is now in effect from 8 PM Thursday Evening to 2 AM Saturday Morning for Northern Worcester and Northern Middlesex Counties of Massachusetts for 2-5″ of snow with higher amounts of 6″ or more at elevations above 1000 feet. The snow will be heavy and wet and have the potential to cause isolated to scattered pockets of tree and wire damage and power outages..
..A Winter Weather Advisory is now in effect from 8 PM Thursday Evening to 8 PM Friday Evening for Western Hampden County, Eastern Franklin and Eastern Hampshire County of Massachusetts for 2-5″ of snow with isolated amounts of up to 6″ of snow in the highest elevations. The snow will be heavy and wet and have the potential to cause isolated pockets of tree and wire damage and isolated power outages..
..In areas that don’t mix with snowfall, widespread rainfall of 1-2″ is likely with this storm. Wind Gusts at the coast will be around 40 MPH. The coastal flood potential is low due to low astronomical tides..
..SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor the storm system for Thursday Night into early Saturday Morning. Amateur Radio call-up nets will be utilized as required during the storm event particularly in the early morning starting around 5 AM Friday Morning..

A Coastal Storm will impact the region Thursday Night into Friday. The headlines depict the current thinking. Key factors include:

1.) Some models have the low pressure a bit further southeast and pour colder air even into lower elevation locations even as far east as interior Eastern Massachusetts. This will bear watching but current thinking is the heaviest snow will be in the higher elevations of Western and North-Central Massachusetts. Portions of Northern Connecticut may also see some snow accumulation.
2.) With heavy wet snow, if it accumulates to around 4″ or more, tree and wire damage and power outages are likely. The extent of this will be determined by the areal coverage of heavy wet snow and how low in elevation this occurs.
3.) Areas not receiving heavy wet snow will get beneficial rainfall of 1-2″ with isolated higher amounts.
4.) Wind Gusts of around 40 MPH are expected at the coast and in some higher elevation locations.

SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor the storm system for Thursday Night into early Saturday Morning. Amateur Radio call-up nets will be utilized as required during the storm event. This will be the last coordination message unless a significant change to the forecast occurs and time allows for an update as we shift into operations mode. Below is the NWS Boston/Norton Winter Storm Warning/Winter Weather Advisory Statement, Area Forecast Discussion, Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook, Snowfall and Rainfall Maps:

NWS Boston/Norton Winter Storm Warning/Winter Weather Advisory Statement:
https://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.wwus41.KBOX.html

NWS Boston/Norton Area Forecast Discussion:
https://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.fxus61.KBOX.html

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

NWS Boston/Norton Snowfall Map:
https://www.weather.gov/box/winter

NWS Boston/Norton Rainfall Map (Storm Total Precip Map for Areas of Western New England Getting Both Rain and Snow):
https://wx1box.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Ey9aBqTVgAE881E.png

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