Snow Kidding: Winter Storm Craziness Continues

Photo via the National Weather Service

Update:

Residents don’t have to stay in during the snowstorm (it has already started to come down in some areas), but Governor Deval Patrick would prefer if they did.

During an update about emergency preparedness on Saturday afternoon, Patrick and state officials said they are already pretreating the roads ahead of the weekend snowstorm, which is expected to dump up to 10 inches in the Boston area, and could get reach up to a foot along the Eastern coastline.

If people do have the urge to leave the comfort of their home to walk through the blistering cold and swirling snowflakes, Patrick is asking them to consider utilizing public transportation, but also to expect delays.

“At the height of the storm, it won’t be possible to keep up with the clearing of the roads,” Patrick said during a press conference from a Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency bunker on Saturday. He asked that residents who live east of Worcester stay off the roadways from 5 p.m., Saturday, until 5 a.m., Sunday.

“Please limit travel this evening especially in the areas expected to be hardest hit,” State Police officials advised. “The snow removal effort will be challenging to keep up with the accumulation amounts. This effort can be assisted by people not being out in the roads.”

For Boston residents, there is no parking ban in effect during the storm, and Mayor Marty Walsh has not declared a snow emergency.

In surrounding cities, like Somerville and Cambridge, a snow emergency was declared, however. There was no mention of whether or not the snow is expected to be fluffy, or if it will be “slutty.”

Earlier:

People in Massachusetts are definitely going to be in great shape by the end of this winter, because more snow is on the way! Which means, of course, shoveling is in your weekend forecast. Sorry.

If you’re on the Cape and coastline, you’re on Blizzard Watch. In Boston and surrounding suburbs? You’re in what the National Weather Service calls the “Winter Storm Warning” zone. As for the Western part of the state, that territory is being spared during the storm that’s expected to sweep over Massachusetts on Saturday into Sunday, and so far there’s only a patchy and uncertain-looking “Winter Advisory” in place.

So what’s in store this weekend, exactly? Well, as the National Weather Service explains, another winter storm may bring significant snowfall to mainly Eastern New England Saturday afternoon. Weather experts predict—but aren’t promising—a “fast, but rapidly deepening storm” with the chance of heavy snow and strong winds. The storm could bring anywhere from six to 10 inches of drifting snow, which will create some hazardous driving conditions. Travel is going to be slow, they said. “And quite difficult on any unplowed or untreated surfaces.”

A Winter Storm Warning is typically issued when an average of six or more inches of snow is expected to blanket the area in a 12-hour period. It’s also issued by the National Weather Service if there’s the possibility of the snow accumulation hitting eight or more inches in one day. The warning will be in place from 10 a.m., Saturday, until 5 a.m., Sunday.

To keep up with the changing weather patterns, and get the latest updates from those who know best about these types of wintry situations, check in with the National Weather Service on their Facebook page. 

Here’s a map with snowfall totals: