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Heavy, wet snow, rain, and high winds from a powerful late-season winter storm will impact Massachusetts through Wednesday, prompting forecasters to warn about potential power outages and difficult travel conditions.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Advisory for most of Massachusetts and a High Wind Warning for coastal areas of the state for 24 hours beginning at 8 a.m. Tuesday. It also issued a Coastal Flooding Advisory from 3 to 8 a.m. Wednesday.
“A rapidly intensifying coastal storm will bring a very serious/major winter storm with power outages to the high terrain…while rain changes to wet snow in the lower elevations,” service forecasters said Tuesday. “While amounts are much more uncertain in the lower elevations…downed tree limbs and power outages are also possible.”
The Worcester Hills and Berkshires saw rain change to heavy, wet snow overnight, with some locations already reporting more than a foot of accumulation. The changeover from rain to snow will happen Tuesday across the rest of the state.
“The rain snow line will collapse south and east over the course of the day, with most locations away from far southeast MA experiencing snow around the lunch hour,” the service said.
The snow is expected to continue through Tuesday evening before winding down overnight.
“Things may get quite messy across this region during the afternoon given the wind and wet snow and travel may become quite difficult with power outages,” the service said.
The service said that for the northern Worcester Hills, the Berkshires, and other areas above 1,000 feet in elevation the storm is going to be particularly high impact.
“This will be a very serious storm for this region with 1 to 2+ feet of heavy wet snow resulting in downed tree limbs and power outages,” forecasters said. “In fact…a few spots in the highest terrain may see total snow amounts approach 30 inches! The snow may become a bit drier by late afternoon and into the evening before finally winding down overnight. But a very serious storm is in progress for this region and will continue into the evening.”
Given reports received across the CT River Valley since our update, we have increased the forecasted snow totals in this area. Additionally, winter storm warnings are now in place for all of Hampshire and Hampden Counties pic.twitter.com/j4IeyuUf6b
— NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) March 14, 2023
Meanwhile, exactly how much snow will be seen for lower elevations remains uncertain. Temperatures, according to the service, are expected to remain above freezing “outside the most intense snowfall.”
Below, see what local forecasters are saying about the nor’easter.
[5:30am] As expected the wet, heavy snow has caused widespread power outages across western Massachusetts. As rain transitions to snow across more of southern New England, outages are will become increasingly common pic.twitter.com/XP1boKcDOF
— NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) March 14, 2023
Still a very tough forecast for total snow. Will need to nowcast the change to snow this afternoon, timing of this will be critical to accumulations of course. #WeatherWisdom pic.twitter.com/D5n1lA8ff5
— Dave Epstein (@growingwisdom) March 14, 2023
The storm will move northwest and then pinwheel out to sea tomorrow. This track is unusual and is part of the reason why the confidence in snowfall totals east of Route 495 still remains lower than one would expect with a storm underway. #weatherwisdom pic.twitter.com/yqKtpl5Nvz
— Dave Epstein (@growingwisdom) March 14, 2023
The change from rain to snow will happen around midday in #Boston (I'm thinking 10 AM – noon). @boston25 #mawx #newengland pic.twitter.com/ym2lI7bhrP
— Shiri Spear (@ShiriSpear) March 14, 2023
If you don't see snow now, it's coming this afternoon/tonight in your town. Conditions will get worse through the day. @boston25 #mawx #nhwx #newengland pic.twitter.com/GfcjiryX6U
— Shiri Spear (@ShiriSpear) March 14, 2023
Here's the wide view of the #snowmap that goes ALL DAY & NIGHT. Send in your reports & photos to us @boston25! pic.twitter.com/DVPOZBQzcn
— Shiri Spear (@ShiriSpear) March 14, 2023
Here's an hour-by-hour breakdown for areas of our region. Snow is already sticking & slowing down travel through much of Worcester county. Expect a transition to snow for SE Mass (including Cape Cod) by the evening commute. #wcvb pic.twitter.com/SKSNp9eJOQ
— Kelly Ann Cicalese (@kellyannwx) March 14, 2023
Two pulses of strong wind today. One during the afternoon (with a NE wind), the second later tonight (with a NNW wind). While the strongest gusts will approach 60 mph at the coast, the wind will be strong enough to bring down trees & powers lines inland too. #wcvb pic.twitter.com/YRl9SXk8D7
— Kelly Ann Cicalese (@kellyannwx) March 14, 2023
Scattered power outages near the coast with strong winds later today. Heavy wet snow across the interior the concern, especially once breeze picks up. pic.twitter.com/x29MsN2xEG
— Chris Lambert (@clamberton7) March 14, 2023
Worcester Hills piling up that snow this am. Many towns along the Princeton/Westminter/Ashburnham/New Ipswich, NH line now pushing past a foot. Narrow band of 18-24" likely in that area before the storm ends. pic.twitter.com/19YSSxmD5I
— Chris Lambert (@clamberton7) March 14, 2023
Minor coastal flooding tomorrow morning's 5am high tide. pic.twitter.com/lwh6wRcOYm
— Chris Lambert (@clamberton7) March 14, 2023
Up to 24" of snow in the Worcester Hills, rain flips to snow across eastern Mass by midday as road conditions go down. pic.twitter.com/Ug7K6ZRSeh
— Chris Lambert (@clamberton7) March 14, 2023
Biggest concern is power outages. As of 7:45am, 36,500+ customers without power in MA, this will rise into 6 figures today, with outages rising through the evening as winds hit their max late. pic.twitter.com/lvQ0eAs139
— Matt Noyes NBC10 Boston & NECN (@MattNBCBoston) March 14, 2023
In case you missed it on-air (though…we're still on through the day), here was the snow map aired this morning on @nbc10boston and @necn. Not many changes from 24 hours ago, not expecting many needed, but also aware may be some surprises depending on exact snow change & rates. pic.twitter.com/0LTnIdEg23
— Matt Noyes NBC10 Boston & NECN (@MattNBCBoston) March 14, 2023
The rain will change to snow from north to south midday and this afternoon…bands of very heavy snow through this evening…tapers off overnight pic.twitter.com/yTfeztdnM5
— Terry Eliasen (@TerryWBZ) March 14, 2023
Approx time for the change from rain to snow pic.twitter.com/uGqGvF3KJD
— Terry Eliasen (@TerryWBZ) March 14, 2023
Up to TWO FEET of snow in the higher elevations in northern Worcester county, SW NH and the Berkshires pic.twitter.com/LXRjeeOu6A
— Terry Eliasen (@TerryWBZ) March 14, 2023
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