Heavy snow and high winds from the storm dubbed the “Bomb Cyclone” has caused substantial power outages in Massachusetts and across New England.
According to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, as of about 6:15 pm, the Bay State has 17,145 households without power. That's actually down from earlier today when 17,954 households were without power.
Meanwhile as tides peaked, coastal communities suffered heavy flooding. The National Weather Service warned of moderate to major impacts until some time around 4 pm today.
“Pretty ugly high tide on King's Beach, which straddles Lynn and Swampscott,” WGBH News reporter Adam Reilly noted on Twitter. “Waves arcing way over the sea wall and water coursing up through manholes, filling the streets with goopy gray gunk.”
In Scituate, the National Guard was deployed after the town’s sea wall was breached along Oceanside Drive. Local officials in Plymouth, Marshfield, Eastham, and Chatham — among other communities — reported flooding described as “major.” Cristina Quinn of WGBH News reports that the waters are receding. “But,” she concluded, “the result is a mess.”
In downtown Boston, where public figures talk frequently about the threat of rising sea levels, floods also struck. High tides shut down the Aquarium Blue Line MBTA Station and appear to be threatening the ground floor of the Marriott Harbor Hotel.
The National Weather Service said that Boston’s worst flooding occurred during the 1978 Blizzard, which was a more massive version of today’s storm.
In other storm related news, Gov. Charlie Baker order state offices closed Friday, and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said public schools would be closed for a second consecutive day.
'Monster' Storm Hits New England
After days of frigid temperatures so cold that at least three sharks froze to death off Cape Cod, New England braced for a storm forecasters called a “monster.”
By 6 a.m., the storm — a classic Nor’easter — had already hit parts of Florida and the Carolinas. It was moving north, pummeling the mid-Atlantic.
Before day’s end, the east coast from Dixie to Down East is expected to have suffered cyclone-like winds and dangerously low visibility.
Snowfall along the New England coast could range from eight to 18 inches, with less inland.
Accumulation could be less of an issue than weight. The snow is expected to be wet and heavy — what medical professionals call “heart attack” snow.
Heavy snow and high winds is a traditional recipe for power outages.
In Rhode Island, a spokesman for the National Grid said, “we are in full storm preparation mode.” An estimated 50,000 customers are expected to lose power.
All told, the Mass. Department of Transportation will deploy 800 workers and 1,400 pieces of equipment throughout the state.
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker spent much of Tuesday assessing likely outages and power risks. At his 8 am press briefing, the governor was avuncular: He called on residents to commune with their "hardy New England heritage" and ride the storm out — preferably at home. He urged non-essential employees to avoiding travel.
One of those workers who felt compelled to go to the office was Judy Sprague from Hyde Park. Interviewed in South Station by WGBH News, Sprague said the ride in was “excellent.”
Contrary to her usual experience, Sprague got a seat because so many stayed home. "I know I'm personally planning to go home around 10 o'clock. Want to get out before the heavy stuff comes," said Sprague.
The reduced MBTA schedule seems to be working. But Amtrak is experiencing some difficulty. Trains arriving from the south, which largely departed before the storm intensified are arriving more or less on schedule. South-bound trips, heading into the wind and snow, however, have been delayed or temporarily cancelled.
In Framingham, at the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) bunker, which serves as the state’s storm command center, workers carrying blankets and pillows prepared for a stay of two or more days.
“Probably the two biggest concerns are travel concerns and power outages," said MEMA’s Chris Bessie. "Once the snow starts going, they are expecting up to two inches or more which is going to make travel pretty treacherous… As the wind picks up this afternoon and evening and into tomorrow, we’ll be in the lookout for power outages.”
Personnel from 18 state agencies are gathered in the close confines if the bunker. That includes officials from the state police, Department of Transportation and the Red Cross. They are on laptops, working the phones, and monitoring a forest of screens carrying news of conditions around the state.
Emergency officials have their eyes fixed on the shore, where coastal flooding is the norm with storms like this.
Authorities on the Cape are hoping the storm will bring more rain than snow, but the real concern is the wind and high tides, along with a two- to three-foot storm surge that will inundate coastal areas.
Longtime Chatham Harbormaster Stuart Smith says he is worried about Chatham's fishing fleet.
“Normally we'd have a lot of the fishing boats go into more sheltered harbors but the harbors are frozen," he said. "So we're having difficulty getting people to the boat ramp.”
Smith says there could also be damage to docks and piers along the Chatham waterfront.
Earlier this week, freakish weather conditions spawned by sub-zero temperatures wrecked the MBTA’s South Shore ferry landing.
Elsewhere on the South Shore, Northeast winds are starting to pick up along the coastline. High tide will peak at around 12:30 in Scituate, Marshfield and Hull, coinciding with heavy snowfall and a mix of rain and sleet. The recent frigid temperatures have left coastlines frozen but as the high tide coincides with wind gusts of 50-60 miles per hour, we could see ice chunks flying into roadways. Local fire departments have advised residents to stay indoors and off the roads.
On Boston’s North Shore, in Swampscott, early morning traffic was surprisingly robust. But in the hour between 8:15 am and 9:15 am that changed: Snow began falling rapidly, the wind picked up, and visibility began to diminish. Local officials are asking drivers to stay home so that traffic doesn’t interfere with snow plowing.
Planning for eventualities such as today’s, the MBTA has put its commuter rail lines on a reduced service schedule.
Still, with statewide elections being held this fall, response to the storm could have political overtones.
Many eyes are on the MBTA to see what effect the transit authority’s $100 million winterization program will yield.
Much of that money was spent of keeping the tracks clear so trains could run. The issue of aged locomotives and engines was not part of that plan.
In Boston, even before any snow fell, Mayor Marty Walsh cancelled public school for Thursday, and declared a snow emergency. Dozens of communities followed suit.
This ounce of prevention to save a peck of pain strategy is key to keeping the city moving. Most commuter problems occur on the ride home, not the trip in. And with streets relatively deserted, the business of plowing can take place unobstructed.
If you reside in a neighborhood such as South Boston or the North End, where Darwinian struggle governs the claiming and clearing of rare on-street parking, take heart. You’ll be able to stake your claim with a placeholder (like a kitchen chair) for 48 hours.
Walsh will update the press at 3 pm in City Hall. Around that time, word should come as to whether the Boston Public Schools will be open Friday.
An almost delicate dusting of snow began falling in the southern suburbs and Boston neighborhoods at about 7:00 am. Two hours later, sidewalks were covered, but accumulation had yet to occur on roads. By 11 am the wind picked up and an estimated three inches of snow had accumulated. Plows were working the streets.
Tina Martin, Mike Deehan, Cristina Quinn and Adam Reilly contributed to this report.
