Impressive, Most Impressive
Posted by Jeremy Reiner
Last time Boston had an actual Blizzard was 2005 (Using old school requirements of sustained wind speed 35mph--not gusts). I think tonight it will be classified as a blizzard. Even if it doesn't, there will be several hours of blizzard-like conditions across southern New England late this evening right through midday Saturday.
You have a few hours this morning to get things done (bread, milk, snow blower gassed up!) or go for one last run on snow-free sidewalks but by midday light snow begins and becomes steadier & heavier during the afternoon. Travel will deteriorate throughout the afternoon and certainly into the evening hours. Most towns will have 2-4" on the ground by 7pm tonight.
From 7pm tonight through noon tomorrow will be the worst of the storm for many of us. Bands of heavy snow (thundersnow included) will pummel southern New England. At times, that snow will fall at the rate of 2-3" per hour!! We are still thinking 20-24" of snow for a lot of cities & towns. Wind will also be a major concern with coastal towns getting wind gusts between 55-65 mph (a gust or two of 70mph is likely on Cape Cod). Farther inland, wind gusts will be on the order of 45-55mph. This wind will result in considerable blowing/drifting snow tonight and for much of tomorrow too. Very poor travel expected from 7pm tonight through midday tomorrow---travel not recommended late tonight & early tomorrow morning! That strong wind will also lead to power outages---scattered in metrowest and widespread on the south shore, cape, islands.
This wind poses another problem...coastal flooding. We are concerned with 2 high tide cycles (Blizzard of '78, there were 4 high tide cycles of concern) for coastal flooding, the 10pm tonight & 10am Saturday morning. In particular, Sandwich...Scituate..Revere..Provincetown are at the greatest risk for major coastal flooding.
As we step through the day Saturday, the storm slowly pulls away taking the wind & snow with it. The last flakes fall between 1-3pm in Worcester and not until 6-8pm in Plymouth-Chatham. That wind settles under 40mph around 4-5pm for everyone.
The sun returns to New England on Sunday.
More through the day.
~JR
That's A Wrap--I Think
Posted by Jeremy Reiner
I hope I'm not jinxing us with this statement.."The recent wet pattern is over....onto sunshine & a more summer- like pattern.." The last time someone from 7 weather called a pattern change too soon we got a blizzard and 3 subsequent nor'easters (looking at you Pete!!--LOL). We don't have to worry about any blizzards or nor'easters but one never knows in the new world order.
Like A Waterfall
Posted by Pete Bouchard
If you were caught in those 'cloudbursts' today, you had more than you could handle in the rain department. Torrents fell in a short amount of time - what we deem 'flash flooding' in the weather biz. Since it happens suddenly, the National Weather Service has adopted the acronym TADD:
Bam! Pow!
Posted by Jeremy Reiner
Bam. Pow! Those were some nasty storms last evening with some towns in metrowest & the city itself blasted with locally heavy rain, hail, lightning and strong wind gusts. A cool front is the culprit and that front will linger across the region again today. That means another round of some scattered showers & t-storms likely.
Thunderous Start to Workweek
Posted by Pete Bouchard
Heat and a bit of humidity fed a strong - and sometimes severe - line of thunderstorms today. By the time the dinner hour rolled around (6pm-ish), the storms had consolidated into a line. Everyone got a drink of water and a big drop in temperatures - some falling nearly 20 degrees in minutes!