Snow slows to flurries
(Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff)
A white blanket of snow covered Boston Common.
By Andrew Ryan and Brian R. Ballou, Globe Staff, and Michele Richinick and Stewart Bishop, Globe Correspondents
A howling winter storm has weakened to flurries after dumping up to a foot of snow today in Massachusetts, causing near white-out conditions that slowed traffic to a crawl and temporarily closed Logan International Airport.
The storm is expected to deliver one last belt of snow during the evening rush, dropping another 1 to 1 1/2 inches to once again gum up roads.
"Just enough to slick everything up and make the commute not a whole lot of fun," said Alan Dunham, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Taunton. "Not as bad as this morning, but still."
During the early rush, drivers inched slowly through intense snow squalls, which left wheels spinning and caused scores of spinouts as cars skidded and slid. No major accidents were reported, State Police said, but there were plenty of treacherous stretches of road, including Interstate 95 in Foxborough and the left lane of the Massachusetts Turnpike.
Traffic remained extremely light because officials canceled classes at hundreds of schools and scores of workers stayed home.
"Folks heeded the governor's request to delay their commute to allow crews to stay ahead of this," said Peter Judge, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. "Driving is still very, very slow … but the snow is beginning to let up as predicted."
Temperatures are expected to stay below freezing until at least Thursday, which means the sight of sidewalks, stairs, and cars buried again beneath an avalanche of white will remain for some time.
"I am so tired of the snow I don't know what to do," said Gerri Conward, shivering and wiping her runny nose with a napkin as she waited 30 minutes on Dorchester Avenue to catch a bus to work. "This is the worst ever winter I've been through."
On Clifford Street in Roxbury, Dianna Christmas, 60, tried to back out of her driveway, the wheels of her car spinning in the snow with a hapless whoosh.
"I'm tired of all this," Christmas said. "Tired of New England.''
Despite the inconvenience and aggravation, the storm has not inflicted any significant damage. No major flooding or power outages have been reported, Judge said. About 1,000 residents lost electricity in Lunenburg when a car crashed into a utility pole, but service has been restored. There are also reports of a few hundred scattered outages in Essex County, Judge said.
In Quincy, two teenagers suffered non-life-threatening injuries when they were struck by a privately operated snow plow, police said. The plow backed into the teens on Martenson Street at about 7:50 a.m., and they were taken to Quincy Medical Center.
Officials closed Logan International Airport for 42 minutes this morning, but one runway has reopened, according to Phil Orlandella, a spokesman for Massport, which operates the airport. Roughly half of the scheduled flights were canceled this morning, Orlandella said.
Roughly half of the MBTA's 13 commuter rail lines are running on time, with the remainder experiencing delays of 15 to 30 minutes, according to spokesman Joe Pesaturo. Seventeen bus lines are running on snow routes, and subways are running on schedule.
“When you consider the intensity of the storm, the various services are performing quite well,” said Pesaturo of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
Snowfall totals ranged from 13 inches in New Ipswich in southern New Hampshire to 1 inch in Barnstable and Chatham on Cape Cod. Weather spotters measured 8.5 inches in Roslindale, 7 inches in South Boston, 10 inches in Salem, and 12.5 inches in Royalston in Worcester County, according to the National Weather Service. Milton received 8.5 inches, and Westfield saw 10 inches.
When the snow does stop falling this evening, 15-to 20-mile-per-hour winds are expected to continue to make driving difficult.
The storm was the second half of a one-two punch that began hitting the region on Sunday. A small blast in the morning yielded 1 to 2 inches in some parts of Eastern Massachusetts by afternoon. It has been a particularly snowy winter. As of yesterday afternoon, 55.8 inches of snow had fallen in the area this season, almost 4 inches more than last year. The average is usually 34 inches.
This morning snow accumulations across the state averaged roughly 9 inches.
"It was not a mammoth storm," Judge said. "But it was a pretty significant."
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with all the snow we got this winter . i just cant see the global warming oh well
It is all the fault of GW Bush
I moved to the Boston area last summer and was given a snow shovel, a prescient present, by my future father-in-law. Since then I have advanced to the rank of Shovel Master 3rd Class. The three gold stripes are proudly displayed on my Arctic Blast 3000 shovel with the Eddie Bardolino custom grip. Eddie
Bardolino, as everybody here probably knows, is the Arnold Palmer of snow shovel makers.
I would tell you more about my East Boston shoveling experiences, but the light on the end of my shovel is flashing, which means I have to go.
Now that we are in like a lion, for sure we will be out like a Lamb.
Happy Spring everyone
Hm...that's funny. Yesterday the weather geeks were making a huge fuss about how we were getting 12 - 15 inches of snow in the city, but I was just outside and it's hardly over my ankle. There's not enough instinct left in meteorology these days...this is what happens when you rely too heavily on computers.
re: comment#1
This is the same as saying: "Ray Allen only shot 2-10 yesterday. I just cant see him being a good shooter oh well"
You can't measure global warming by the snowfall for one winter in one part of the world - it's like measuring a basketball player by only one game.
Please, everyone who's sick of a New England winter - MOVE! I hear there's cheap housing to be had in FL.
Global warming means a slight increase in global temperature so as to change weather patterns such as increase precipitation and chance for storms. It does NOT mean sudden warm weather!
I'm in San Diego. It's 75 and beautiful here. I'm never coming back to New England. I can be taxed outrageously in CA or Mass. I'll keep my 75.
Umm... are you ignoring the fact that it always seems to go up into the 50's a couple of days after every storm?
victor bramante, the global warming phenomenon is not just about the Earth's average temps rising. It has impacts on disrupting typical seasonal weather patterns and so an unusually snowy winter, extremely hot summers, etc. could be a result of it. Education is wonderfully enlightening experience.
I think the buzz word now is: Climate Change... especially since most people have a very simplistic view of how global warming can cause extreme winters and summers.
Look it up!
I love how simple-minded people use one season as a proxy to either "prove" or "disprove" the presence or lack of global warming.
Global Warming has absolutely nothing to do with how much snow falls in Boston in a given winter.
Contrary to what those uninformed on climate science may believe, (see Victor's comment above) a warming climate in the northern latitudes can often equate to "greater" snow fall rates, not less. This is due to the scientific fact that a cold air mass holds less water vapor than a warm air mass. Therefore a more useful indicator of a warming climate is the change in mean temperature, NOT mean snowfall.
A useful example to illustrate this point is Antarctica. The continent of Antarctica is both the coldest AND "DRIEST" continent on earth. Many folks may be surprised to learn that it receives less snow than the US state of Georgia. The vast glaciers on Antarctica have formed after thousands of centuries of scant snowfall. Most of the snowstorms on the continent are simply ground level snow blow about from the dry hurricane force winds. The arid nature of Antarctica is simply due to the inability of the sub-zero air masses to hold sufficient water vapor and produce snow.
It's alright Victor. Keep your head in the sand and everything will be ok.
Climate change isn't just about warming, it's about disrupting normal weather patterns. So if it's getting colder and snowier, it doesn't mean it's not climate change!
WOW!!! ALL THIS SNOW AND SOME OF US HAD TO WORK... I ALMOST CALLED OUT IT WAS SO DANGEROUS...... SOME COMPANIES JUST CAN'T CLOSE SO SOME OF US HAVE TO TAKE A CHANCE....
Actually "extreme weather" is a major effect of global climate change...not just "warming." So, expect stronger storms and more serious floods and droughts as things get worse!
Global Warming = an entirely messed up world of weather patterns. Hot when it should be cold. Cold when it should be hot. Even more importantly - wet when it should be dry and dry when it should be wet. This is just one little weather pattern in one corner of the world. You have to look globally to see the compound effect.
Think of it this way Victor. Higher global temperatures warm the ice pack in the Antarctic and the Arctic. This moisture finds its way into the ocean and into the atmosphere and bingo you have fuel for weather such as we are experiencing. Particularly given the cold air mass that hangs above Canada, you get snow (or rain) depending on temperatures.
When people say, "look at all this snow, where's the global warming?" that shows that they have no idea what global warming is.
When the earth warms, ice melts, raising the ocean's sea level and impacting currents. When currents change, weather systems also change, causing different high and low systems, thus changing the normal weather patterns geographical areas are used to. Hence, we have more snow than normal.
Victor, don't be silly. It's the whole climate change. Global warming isn't for one area only. Otherwise we could pretend New England isn't a part of a much larger thing called THE PLANET. When chunks of ice the size of Massachusetts are breaking off the Antarctic I'd say we might have a small issue. That's the problem with folks like you, they don't see outside the box. Well it's whole big world out there and your trash affects it all not just the nearby landfill
People need to stop complaining...it is a relativly small bit of snow. Learn to deal!
Many argue that we are in a longer range Global Cooling phase. It is a valid discussion given the 30-year trend. Unfortunately, trite books written primarily by the Left (Gore comes to mind), most people are mislead and buy the global warming argument.
In the meantime, good luck shoveling out. When in doubt, stick a chair in your spot and Menino will bail you out!
Global warming doesn't mean that all temperatures around the world will automatically get warmer. It does mean that there will be a disruption in the normal cycles, weather systems and temperatures that do exist, such as more extreme weather systems whether they are cold, hot or wet such as in the case of hurricanes or storms.
1/2 the MBTA commuter rails are running on time? - Sounds like an average day for them.
I just moved to Texas , I don't have to deal with this craps anymore
victor--you're an idiot.
If you don't see how the seasons are different from 20 years ago, you're just not paying attention
Victor you have to think of long term trends, not isolated years like this. Weather goes in cycles, and every 12 years or so we have a particularly bad reason.
One sparrow does not a spring make, nor does one bad winter unmake global warming.
The point of global warming is that a small rise in *average* temperature can create more extreme swings in weather, with the temperatures averaging out to not very much different. Such as... 60 degrees on Friday, then all this mess just a few days later.
Global Warming was invented by Al Gore, just like the Internet.
It's called global warming, not Massachusetts warming. You need to look at the big picture rather than just looking out your window.
Deval wants to tax Mother Nature per flake.
It's called "climate change." That's why it's 100 degrees and dry as a bond in Texas.
Will people stop complaining about the snow already? This article says nothing but "poor me." You live in New England; get over it or move. It's beautiful out there! Try sledding, taking your dog out for a walk, ice skating on Frog Pond, or getting the fireplace going and having friends over.
On March 31, we'll all go to the beach when the month leaves like a lamb.
"I just moved to Texas , I don't have to deal with this craps anymore"
WOULD YOU PLEASE take the rest of the whiners with you? That would reduce the competition for the remaining 15 job vacancies and give us snow lovers some more elbow room!
NOW I KNOW WHY THE PEOPLE IN MASS ARE SO AWFUL, RUDE,NASTY AND MEAN SPIRTED!!!!! JUST THANKFUL I AM OUT OF THERE !!!!!!
I'm so tired of people complaining about winter and the snow. This is New England - there's snow every year, and you should come to realize that winter here is never predictable. If you don't like it, MOVE.
And if you're the ones who clearly don't get the causes and effects of global warming or climate change - you all should move, too. You're bringing down the intelligence level of Massachusetts and the Northeast in general.
The news stations loves this for some reason. They always show the same thing every time it snows. The person shoveling the sidewalk, The person using his snowblower, the snowplows plowing snow, I don't understand why snowstorms are a major newstory in New England.
90 degrees here in Phoenix AZ right now....
Our snow accumulation does not argue against global warming. You might be very interested in your findings if you do some research on the topic.
Left Boston and the East Coast 20 year ago, and still remember the blizzard of '78...this seems wimpy, comparatively speaking :)
although I must admit that I am now officially a west coast wimp myself, not tolerating easily anything below 60 degrees :)
I don't think anyone denies that there is climate change, what some are worried about is that there is no tolerance by the Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW) supporters of anyone with a contrary view.
If earth's cooling - as exemplified by the Northern Hemisphere winter this year and the gradual fall of the earth's temperature since 2002 - is a feature of the contribution of industrial CO2 to the atmosphere - show the proof! All we see is statements that increasing CO2 RAISES earth's temperature.
If the AGW supporters have got it wrong, than the $ billions spent on GW research will have been an unacceptable waste of earth's resources - especially in the next ice age..
The great part about New England is it's 4 great seasons, including winter. If you don't like it, get over it or MOVE AWAY! There are plenty of boring areas in the country where you can live lead a soft, pampered, and boring life. Sticking it out in N.E is worth the rewards. Plus the next season is just around the corner.
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
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