Storm Coordination Message #1 – Wednesday 2/23/21 Strong Wind Potential & Late Thursday Night 2/24/22-Friday Night 2/25/22 Winter Storm Potential

Hello to all…

..Strong Wind Gusts overnight have subsided but will renew over Western Mass in the higher terrain and to a lesser extent across the rest of Southern New England later this Wednesday Afternoon and Evening as a strong cold front brings an end to the unseasonably mild conditions and sets the stage for another significant winter storm for much of Southern New England..
..A Wind Advisory is in effect through 11 PM tonight to for Western Franklin, Western Hampden and Western Hampshire Counties of Massachusetts for sustained winds of 15-25 MPH with gusts to 50 MPH. The rest of Southern New England could see wind gusts around 40 MPH with isolated higher gusts as the cold front moves through. These winds could cause isolated pockets of tree and wire damage and isolated power outages..
..A Winter Storm Watch is in effect from late Thursday Night into Friday Evening for all of Southern New England except for Block Island RI, Marthas Vineyard and Nantucket, MA for 6-12″ of snow with isolated higher amounts along and north of the Mass Pike and 4-8″ of snow with isolated higher amounts south of the Mass Pike where a mix with sleet and freezing rain is possible. The islands may see some accumulating snow but below watch/warning thresholds..
..SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor the strong winds for Wednesday Afternoon and Evening. SKYWARN Self-Activation with Amateur Radio Call-Up Nets likely for Friday to acquire snowfall amounts and precipitation type changeover reports..

Unseasonably mild conditions today will end later this afternoon and evening as a strong cold front brings strong winds and colder temperatures to the region with Wind Advisories posted in the east slopes of the Berkshires. There is also the potential for wind gusts of 40 MPH or greater in other parts of Southern New England as the headlines indicate.

As we get into late Thursday Night into Friday, a significant winter storm is expected across Southern New England. There is high confidence in the heavy snowfall potential along and north of the Mass Pike but lesser confidence in heavier snow totals south of the Mass Pike depending on the wintry mix that occurs in this area and how much warm air can erode cold air at the surface. This will be refined in latest updates. A plowable snowfall is likely all across the Winter Storm Watch area with higher confidence in heavier snowfall amounts along and north of the Mass Pike.

SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor the strong winds for Wednesday Afternoon and Evening. SKYWARN Self-Activation with Amateur Radio Call-Up Nets likely for Friday to acquire snowfall amounts and precipitation type changeover reports. Another coordination message will be posted by 11 PM Wednesday Evening. Below is the NWS Boston/Norton Winter Storm Watch Statement, Snow and Ice Maps, Wind Advisory Statement and Area Forecast Discussion:

NWS Boston/Norton Winter Storm Watch Statement & Snow and Ice Maps:
https://www.weather.gov/box/winter

NWS Boston/Norton Wind Advisory Statement:
https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=BOX&product=NPW&issuedby=BOX

NWS Boston/Norton Area Forecast Discussion:
https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=BOX&product=AFD&issuedby=BOX

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
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