[W1SMH] Fwd: Situational Awareness Statement #4: Powerful Winter Storm Today into Monday

Sun Feb 12 20:24:33 EST 2017

Ray Cord

On Sunday, February 12, 2017, Packard, Christine (CDA) (CDA) <Christine.Packard at MassMail.State.MA.US> wrote:

MASSACHUSETTS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS STATEMENT

DATE: 2/12/2017
TIME: 6:45 PM

SUBJECT: Powerful Winter Storm Today into Monday
Situation
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the majority Commonwealth (except Cape Cod and the Islands). The Blizzard Watch previously issued for coastal Massachusetts has been cancelled, but a Winter Storm Warning remains in place. The moderate to heavy snow from the first wave of the storm will in intensity around 7 pm this evening. Light rain or light snow will continue along and Southeast of the Boston to Providence corridor, and light snow in Northwest MA is expected. Additional accumulations after 7 pm through midnight will be light.
The system associated with the second wave of the storm will develop further northeast than previously forecast, resulting in lower additional snow accumulations (coating to 2 inches additional accumulation in western and central Massachusetts, 2-4 inches of additional accumulation in eastern Massachusetts, and 4-8 inches additional accumulation in northeastern Massachusetts). For this second wave, snow will begin again around midnight and continue through noon on Monday. By daybreak, winds will begin to increase, with 35-50 mph gusts expected across Eastern MA, including Cape Ann, and 45-60 mph gusts across Cape Cod and Nantucket. A High Wind Warning has been issued for much of eastern Massachusetts.
Monday Morning Commute
There will be impacts to the morning commute, as heaviest periods of snow will occur between 2 - 11 a.m. Blowing and drifting snow is expected with poor visibility (especially in areas north and northeast of Boston).
Total Storm Snowfall:

* 4 to 8 inches South of the Mass Pike

* 6 to 12 inches north of the Mass Pike

* 10 to 15 inches northeastern Massachusetts
Winds
Beginning tomorrow morning around daybreak, there will be strong wind gusts of 35-50 mph across eastern Massachusetts, and gusts of 45-60 mph across the Cape and Nantucket. The winds associated with the wet snow from this afternoon that remains caked on trees and powerlines, brings potential for scattered power outages and downed tree limbs.
Coastal Flooding
A Coastal Flood Warning will be in effect from 11 am to 4 pm on Monday for the MA east coast from Salisbury to Rockport, Hull to Plymouth, Sandwich to Eastham and Nantucket. Minor to moderate coastal flooding is likely from Salisbury to Rockport, Hull to Plymouth and Nantucket. Tidal departure is 1.5 to 2 feet above normal (Salisbury to Plymouth) and 2 to 3 feet above normal (North and East facing shorelines of Cape Cod and Nantucket). Moderate with pockets of moderate to major coastal flooding is anticipated for the Cape Cod Bay side of Cape Cod from Sandwich to Eastham. Cape Cod Bay communities from Sandwich to Eastham may experience road washouts and damage to vulnerable structures near the shore. Inundation of low lying areas may reach 1 to 3 feet except possibly up to 4 feet in isolated low lying spots between sandwich and Eastham.
Erosion and overwash are likely along much of the ocean exposed MA east coast around the Monday early afternoon high tide. The erosion could be severe in the Plum Island area, North side of Cape Cod (from Sandwich to Eastham), the ocean side of the outer Cape and the East side of Nantucket.
Snowfall Reports (3:40-5:35 PM):
Plainfield, MA: 5.9"
Billerica, MA: 5.5"
Heath, MA: 5.3"
Arlington, MA: 5.2"
Lexington, MA: 5.2" (1.2" in last hour)
Amherst, MA: 5.1"
Shelburne Falls, MA: 5.0"
Carlisle, MA: 4.7"
Lunenburg, MA: 4.6"
Warren, MA: 4.5"
North Chelmsford, MA: 4.5"
Fitchburg, MA: 4.4"
Northborough, MA: 4.2"
Leominster, MA: 4.1"
Baldwinville, MA: 4.0"
Chicopee, MA: 4.0"
Ware, MA: 4.0"
Westfield, MA: 4.0"
Sterling, MA: 4.0"
Wilmington, MA: 4.0"
North Ashburnham, MA: 4.0"
Mendon, MA: 3.8"
Hopkinton, MA: 3.8"
Chelmsford, MA: 3.5"
Wales, MA: 3.5"
Lowell, MA: 3.0"
Burlington, MA: 3.0"
Haverhill, MA: 2.8"
Walpole, MA: 2.8"
Beverly, MA: 2.5"
Swansea, MA: 2.0"
North Weymouth, MA: 1.5"
Holbrook, MA: 1.5"
Assonet, MA: 1.0"
East Freetown, MA: 1.0"
NWS Graphics
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Watches/Warnings
Winter Storm Warning
Issued: February 12 at 4:21PM EST
Expiring: February 13 at 1:00PM EST <https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=MA12583E557D84.WinterStormWarning.12583E644260MA.BOXWSWBOX.7b08b4d44252f01e33ec76af88dd03a7>

Areas affected: Central Middlesex County; Eastern Franklin; Eastern Hampshire; Northern Worcester; Northwest Middlesex County; Southeast Middlesex; Western Franklin; Western Hampshire

Winter Storm Warning
Issued: February 12 at 4:21PM EST
Expiring: February 13 at 1:00PM EST <https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=MA12583E557D84.WinterStormWarning.12583E644260MA.BOXWSWBOX.8e19f55bbbbaba7b1b61f348f0d026e0>

Areas affected: Eastern Essex; Western Essex

Winter Storm Warning
Issued: February 12 at 4:21PM EST
Expiring: February 13 at 1:00PM EST <https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=MA12583E557D84.WinterStormWarning.12583E644260MA.BOXWSWBOX.254d9c57e0e8d9a34f4b14644534109f>

Areas affected: Eastern Hampden; Eastern Norfolk; Southern Worcester; Suffolk; Western Hampden; Western Norfolk

Winter Storm Warning
Issued: February 12 at 4:21PM EST
Expiring: February 13 at 1:00PM EST <https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=MA12583E557D84.WinterStormWarning.12583E644260MA.BOXWSWBOX.3526f89e52b5adea06debba6684f11ed>

Areas affected: Northern Bristol; Southern Bristol; Southern Plymouth; Western Plymouth

Coastal Flood Warning
Issued: February 12 at 4:17PM EST
Expiring: February 13 at 4:00PM EST <https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=MA12583E557BF4.CoastalFloodWarning.12583E64B790MA.BOXCFWBOX.20f466a2cb4ea6f02ce0a321ace90582>

Areas affected: Barnstable; Eastern Essex; Eastern Plymouth; Nantucket

Winter Storm Warning
Issued: February 12 at 3:50PM EST
Expiring: February 13 at 7:00PM EST <https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=MA12583E5561C8.WinterStormWarning.12583E70C580MA.ALYWSWALY.fdc0b01f8ad480e313b247cd77f39d78>

Areas affected: Northern Berkshire; Southern Berkshire

High Wind Warning
Issued: February 12 at 4:34PM EST
Expiring: February 13 at 7:00PM EST <https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=MA12583E558298.HighWindWarning.12583E70C580MA.BOXNPWBOX.e27c6f9ec82ae333c0e27343e77aa42c>

Areas affected: Central Middlesex County; Eastern Norfolk; Eastern Plymouth; Northern Bristol; Southeast Middlesex; Suffolk; Western Essex; Western Norfolk; Western Plymouth

High Wind Warning
Issued: February 12 at 4:34PM EST
Expiring: February 13 at 7:00PM EST <https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=MA12583E558298.HighWindWarning.12583E70C580MA.BOXNPWBOX.2b8828f9443c47f6d1cf3104918a8eac>

Areas affected: Barnstable; Eastern Essex; Nantucket

High Wind Warning
Issued: February 12 at 4:34PM EST
Expiring: February 13 at 7:00PM EST <https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=MA12583E558298.HighWindWarning.12583E70C580MA.BOXNPWBOX.0c9b14b9cee1a1b3c3cf8372e225591a>

Areas affected: Southern Bristol; Southern Plymouth

High Wind Warning
Issued: February 12 at 4:34PM EST
Expiring: February 13 at 7:00PM EST <https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=MA12583E558298.HighWindWarning.12583E70C580MA.BOXNPWBOX.0687e6c7463b901b6987785ad78662b0>

Areas affected: Dukes

Power Outages as of 6:30 p.m.: 2,528
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MEMA Operations

The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) at MEMA Headquarters in Framingham is currently at Level 2 (Partial) with MEMA, MA State Police (MSP), MassDOT and supported by the Department of Public Utilities (DPU). At 4 a.m. tomorrow, the SEOC will include MEMA, MSP, MassDOT, DPU, as well as Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), Coastal Zone Management (CZM), Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and Department of Public Health (DPH).

The SEOC participated in a conference call with the NWS this evening, and will remain in close contact with NWS.

The SEOC will continue to monitor the storm and issue additional Situational Awareness Statements as needed.

EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTION UPDATES:
ESF 1 (Transportation): MassDOT

* All districts remain in snow and ice operation, with 2,852 pieces of equipment.
* Pavement temperatures across the state are below freezing.
* RT-127 (Manchester-by-the-sea): closed in both directions due to a downed utility pole. National Grid en-route.
* Silver Line: moderate delays due to weather conditions.
* Bus: several buses running on snow routes.
* Commuter Rail: minor delays on Fitchburg, Worcester, Providence and Middleborough lines.
* Brockton Area Transit Authority (BAT): Snow schedule for local service on 2/13; no Ashmont Express service; normal service for other services with delays expected.
* Logan Airport: airport open with numerous flight cancellations.
* Worcester Airport: airport closed; all scheduled commercial flights cancelled Sunday.
* Hanscom Field: airport closed, small aircraft slid off runway (no injuries).
* Steamship Authority: the following trips are cancelled: M/V NANTUCKET 5:30PM Nantucket to Hyannis, M/V NANTUCKET 8:00PM Hyannis to Nantucket, M/V NANTUCKET 6:30AM Nantucket to Hyannis

ESF 8 (Public Health and Medical): DPH

* DPH OEMS has issued a Weather Related Waiver for Staffing in EMS Regions I, II, III, IV and V. The waiver will be in effect from 5 pm Sunday, February 12, 2017 to 5 pm Monday, February 13, 2017.

ESF 13 (Law Enforcement): MSP

* Speed limit on the Mass Pike (I-90) has been reduced to 40 mph from the NY border to Boston, with no tandems or propane.
* Troop A: roads snow covered with heavy snow, plows out in force. Numerous spinouts with minor damage, no injury accidents reported.
* Troop B: roads are partially snow covered. Northern I-91 has heaviest snow, but light traffic. No major incidents reported.
* Troop C: no significant incidents reported; numerous spinouts on I-495, I-395, 290/190.
* Troop D: numerous spinouts reported, 1 major incident (between the Bourne Rotary and the Sagamore Bridge) being handled by SP Bourne.
* Troop E: numerous spinouts and accidents reported, no major incidents. Roadways are snow covered with low visibility.
* Troop H: major roadways in decent condition, secondary DCR roadways less desirable. No major incidents to report.
Preparedness and Safety Information
* Flooding preparedness and safety information is available at: http://www.mass.gov/eopss/agencies/mema/emergencies/floods
* For safety tips and guidance for clearing snow off of roofs, see http://www.mass.gov/eopss/agencies/mema/emergencies/winter-storms/roof-collapse.html
* Winter storm preparedness and safety information is available at: http://www.mass.gov/eopss/agencies/mema/emergencies/winter-storms/
* Power outage preparedness and safety information is available at: http://www.mass.gov/eopss/agencies/mema/emergencies/power-outage/
Stay Informed
Utilize Massachusetts Alerts to receive emergency notifications and information from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service. Massachusetts Alerts is a free app that is available for Android and iPhones. To learn more about Massachusetts Alerts, and for information on how to download the free app onto your smartphone, visit: www.mass.gov/mema/mobileapp<http://www.mass.gov/mema/mobileapp>.
Utilize MEMA's real-time power outage viewer to stay informed about current power outages in your community and region, and across the state, including information from utility companies about restoration times: http://mema.mapsonline.net/public.html
Utilize MEMA's live weather radar and forecasting tools, including the live snowfall forecast map: http://memamaps.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=0da6e4d888b74317b52b7a5064aa3dc2

Online Resources
For additional information and resources, visit:
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency at www.mass.gov/mema<http://www.mass.gov/mema>
MEMA's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/MassachusettsEMA
MEMA Twitter: @MassEMA<http://twitter.com/massema>
Federal Emergency Management Agency at www.fema.gov<http://www.fema.gov>
National Weather Service/Taunton at www.weather.gov/boston<http://www.weather.gov/boston>
National Weather Service/Albany, NY at www.weather.gov/albany<http://www.weather.gov/albany>
National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center: http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov
National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center: http://www.spc.noaa.gov/
Mass211 at www.mass211.org<http://www.mass211.org>

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