Mayor Walsh’s main message for bombogenesis? Stay home.
At a press conference this afternoon, Walsh thanked public safety personnel working to clear the roads and respond to emergencies. He also encouraged Bostonians to stay indoors as much as possible.
“Don’t drive to the beach, don’t see what the storm looks like, don’t see what the flooding looks like, because you’re just going to become an obstacle, and you’re potentially going to put yourself at risk,” he said. “We don’t want to have troubles out there, and we also want to be able to clear the streets.”
The storm, which meteorologists have categorized as a “bombogenesis,” is expected to taper off around 9 o’clock this evening after dumping between 12-18 inches of snow on Boston and the surrounding area.
In an interview with WGBH News, Walsh said snow happens every year, but these conditions are unusual because of the sustained cold before and after the storm.
"We've dealt with eight days of freezing cold weather, a snow storm today, and then we go back to freezing cold weather tomorrow,” he said. “We're worried about downed power lines … and trees and limbs that will cause havoc."
Thus far there have not been downed power lines in Boston, Walsh said at the press conference, but the storm has caused some flooding in several areas of the city, including Seaport, Charlestown, the North End, East Boston and Dorchester.
“If anyone wants to question global warming, just see where the flood zones are,” he said. “Those zones didn’t flood 30 years ago, some of those areas.”
The MBTA has also experienced some flooding on some sections of the blue line, and there is suspended service between Wonderland and Orient Heights.
Walsh encouraged Boston residents to get to shelters if needed, and to call 911 if they see anyone outside in the cold. He said Boston Public Schools will be closed tomorrow, and though Logan Airport is open, many flights to and from Boston are canceled, so he encouraged travelers to check their flight information before heading to the airport.
He also said that crews are working hard to plow the roads, and he urged residents to have patience, saying they have deployed 750 pieces of equipment today.
“We’re going to get to every street in the city of Boston,” he said.
As plunging temperatures this weekend threaten to freeze the snow that’s falling now, Walsh also told residents to try to stay on top of shoveling. Sidewalks, he said, should be shoveled by 10 o’clock on Friday morning to avoid fines.
Boston residents using space savers will have 48 hours after the snow stops before they must remove them, and the parking ban will remain in effect until the snow emergency is lifted, though it is not yet clear when that will be.
But mostly, Walsh said, Bostonians should stay off the roads as the plows and safety crews continue to do their job.
“We’re asking people to stay off the streets, even walking,” he said. “We’re going to continue to monitor the forecast and deploy every resource necessary to ensure that our neighborhoods are safe.”
For more information on the storm, Boston residents can visit boston.gov/winter or can call the Constituent Service Center by dialing 311.
Joe Mathieu contributed to this report.
