BLIZZARD WARNING
Warning Issue Date: 421 PM EST SAT DEC 19 2009
...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EST SUNDAY...
A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EST SUNDAY FOR ALL OF
SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS INCLUDING CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS AND FOR
MUCH OF RHODE ISLAND. THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF
PROVIDENCE...NEWPORT...TAUNTON... BROCKTON...FALL RIVER...NEW
BEDFORD...AND PLYMOUTH. IT ALSO INCLUDES CAPE COD...NANTUCKET...
MARTHAS VINEYARD AND BLOCK ISLAND.
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN THESE AREAS FOR A TIME LATE
TONIGHT AND EARLY SUNDAY WITH HEAVY SNOW AND FREQUENT WIND GUSTS OF
40 TO 50 MPH PRODUCING WHITEOUT CONDITIONS. A FEW DAMAGING WIND GUSTS
TO 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE ON THE CAPE AND ISLANDS.
THE WORST OF THE SNOW AND WIND WILL LIKELY OCCUR BETWEEN MIDNIGHT
AND 8 AM. SNOWFALL RATES UP TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR ARE POSSIBLE IN THE
HEAVIER BANDS. IN ADDITION...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TO
OCCUR OVERNIGHT AND SNOWFALL RATES COULD LOCALLY EXCEED 3 INCHES PER
HOUR IN ANY THUNDERSTORMS.
STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 12 TO 16 INCHES ARE FORECAST ACROSS
ALL OF RHODE ISLAND...SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS...AND THE UPPER CAPE.
AN ISOLATED AMOUNT UP TO 18 INCHES IS POSSIBLE. NEAR 10 INCHES IS
FORECAST FOR MARTHAS VINEYARD. ON THE OUTER CAPE AND NANTUCKET... A
MIXTURE OF RAIN AND SNOW AT THE BEGINNING OF THE STORM WILL BECOME
ALL SNOW AFTER MIDNIGHT BUT THIS MAY REDUCE SNOW TOTALS TO PERHAPS
ONLY 6 INCHES THERE. BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL REDUCE
VISIBILITIES TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES ARE
POSSIBLE.
THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL PULL AWAY SUNDAY MORNING BUT STEADY SNOW WILL
LIKELY PERSIST INTO EARLY AFTERNOON BEFORE ENDING LATER SUNDAY
AFTERNOON.
TRAVEL WILL BECOME DANGEROUS AND IS NOT RECOMMENDED TONIGHT AND
SUNDAY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A BLIZZARD WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS OR FREQUENT
GUSTS OVER 35 MPH ARE EXPECTED ALONG WITH CONSIDERABLE FALLING AND/OR
BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW REDUCING VISIBILITIES TO BELOW ONE QUARTER
MILE FOR AT LEAST THREE CONSECUTIVE HOURS. WHITEOUT CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED. THOSE VENTURING OUTDOORS MAY BECOME LOST OR DISORIENTED...SO
PERSONS IN THE WARNING AREA ARE ADVISED TO STAY INDOORS. ALSO...BE
SURE TO CHECK ALL EXTERNAL VENTS ON YOUR HOUSE BECAUSE THEY CAN LEAD
TO A CARBON MONOXIDE RISK IF BLOCKED BY SNOW DRIFTS.
$$
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