Weather

After parts of Massachusetts see snow, a rainy and windy travel day before a sunny Thanksgiving

November 21, 2023 by pkzadmin

Travelers trying to get an early start on the day before Thanksgiving should expect some rainy and blustery conditions on the roads before conditions clear out for a sunny Turkey Day.

After some parts of Massachusetts were under a “Winter Weather Advisory” for up to 4 inches of snow and slippery conditions Tuesday night, all areas of the Bay State will be dealing with periods of rain on Wednesday.

Fairly gusty winds are also in store for the busy travel day, with the strongest winds expected along Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Ann. Wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible, in addition to downed tree branches and isolated power outages.

“It will definitely be a rainy and blustery morning for those heading on out,” Torry Dooley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Boston office, told the Herald.

“By the early afternoon, we’ll see improvements from west to east with rain showers coming to an end,” he added.

The “Winter Weather Advisory” Tuesday night was for parts of western Massachusetts in the higher terrains of the Berkshires and in Franklin and Hampshire counties.

Snow will begin after 7PM tonight across the high terrain of interior Massachusetts, yielding accumulations of 1-4" before transitioning to rain around daybreak Wednesday. Winds will pick up after sunrise Wednesday, with gusts to 50mph possible across the Cape and Islands. pic.twitter.com/0cM1jB9foj

— NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) November 21, 2023

Conditions should be clear for Thanksgiving, as the National Weather Service forecasts a mostly sunny and cool day. Football games in the morning will be cold in the 30s and 40s. By the early afternoon, it should be close to 50 degrees in most locations, ideal for backyard football games on the holiday.

Shoppers heading out for Black Friday should also enjoy some pretty quiet conditions. It will be colder than Thanksgiving, however, with high temps expected in the 40s.

Dooley said, “It’s definitely going to feel like that time of the year for all the holiday shopping.”

Friday rains add to above average rainfall for September in Boston

September 29, 2023 by pkzadmin

Boston is in line to wrap the third consecutive month with above-average rainfall as wet conditions blanketed the area Friday, according to the National Weather Service’s Boston office.

A wet summer — and the fourth consecutive month of above-normal rainfall for some municipalities in Massachusetts — comes a year after the state experienced a drought that left crops damaged and officials urging residents to conserve water.

National Weather Service observations from Logan International Airport show nearly 3.5 inches of rain for September, about two-tenths an inch above normal. And expected rainfalls on Friday and Saturday will add to that total, said NWS Boston meteorologist Frank Nocera.

“But at least it looks like next week, starting Sunday, we could have a stretch of dry weather. So that’ll be welcomed,” Nocera said. “But the big takeaway is, there was a wet summer. Most places, it’s either the third or the fourth consecutive month of being above normal for rainfall.”

Nocera said Boston saw just over 10 inches of rainfall in July, more than 7 inches over normal, and nearly 6.5 inches in August, which was more than 3 inches above normal.

The first week of October is expected to show near-normal rainfall but there are signs that the second and third weeks of the month “could be trending towards a wet pattern again,” Nocera said.

“Also temperatures above normal too so kind of a warm and wet pattern is what’s in store,” Nocera said.

Major storms this month have left large parts of Massachusetts damaged — from heavy rainfalls in the western part of the state leaving crop fields flooded to flash flooding in Leominster and North Attleboro damaging houses and roads.

Further south, a potent rush-hour rainstorm swamped the New York metropolitan area on Friday, shutting down some subways and commuter railroads, flooding streets and highways, and delaying flights into LaGuardia Airport.

Up to 5 inches of rain fell in some areas overnight, and as much as 7 inches more was expected throughout the day, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday morning.

By midday, although there was a break in the downpour, New York City Mayor Eric Adams urged people to stay put if possible.

“It is not over, and I don’t want those gaps in heavy rain to give the appearance that it is over,” he said at a news briefing. He and Hochul, both Democrats, declared states of emergency.

Materials from the Associated Press were used in this report.

Newlyweds put their umbrellas down to pose for photos in the Boston Public Garden as another rainy day washes through the area. (Amanda Sabga/Boston Herald)

Post-tropical cyclone Lee makes landfall in Nova Scotia, spares Massachusetts

September 16, 2023 by pkzadmin

Massachusetts was spared the worst of Lee Saturday as the National Hurricane Center downgraded the storm to a post-tropical cyclone early in the day and Gov. Maura Healey lifted a state of emergency declared just before its arrival.

Lee made landfall later in Nova Scotia with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph, according to a 5 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center. Strong winds, coastal flooding, and heavy rains occurred in portions of Maine and Atlantic Canada, according to the center.

But Boston and much of Massachusetts appeared to be in the relative clear as the post-tropical cyclone moved further north, National Weather Service Meteorologist Rob Megnia said. Boston experienced sub-tropical storm force winds, with an early morning gust recorded at Logan Airport reaching 38 mph.

“It’s still pretty windy and breezy but it’s really nothing more than a kind of a poor New England weather type of day today,” Megnia said Saturday. “We’ll start to see the northwest winds kind of gradually die down into this afternoon and by (Sunday) we’re going to be looking at the beautiful fall day.”

Less than a half-inch of rain fell in Boston, Megnia said, and even on Cape Cod “it’s not looking too bad,” where wind gusts reached 39 mph on Nantucket and 36 mph in Provincetown in the morning.

“It’s still pretty windy out there,” Megnia said. “But, again, nothing too crazy and we’re past the peak so things are winding down.”

The Federal Emergency Management Agency approved Saturday disaster assistance for Massachusetts to help response efforts.

“The president’s action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts to alleviate the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population and to provide appropriate assistance to save lives, to protect property, public health and safety and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe,” the agency said in a Saturday statement.

A hurricane watch was discontinued for New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, according to the hurricane center. A tropical storm warning was also ended for areas south of Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

“A northward motion but at a slower forward speed is expected later (Saturday), and the center of Lee is forecast to reach western Nova Scotia around midday,” the center said. “Lee is then expected to turn toward the north-northeast and northeast and move across Atlantic Canada tonight and Sunday.”

Tropical storm warnings were still in effect for areas north of Cape Elizabeth to the U.S.-Canada border., New Brunswick from the U.S.-Canada border to Belledune, including Grand Manan Island, all of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and the Magdalen Islands.

Three cruise ships — Aurora, Norwegian Pearl, and Caribbean Princess — took shelter earlier in the day at the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal in Boston, according to a Massachusetts Port Authority spokesperson.

Healey declared a state of emergency Friday in advance of the storm, activating up to 50 members of the Massachusetts National Guard. Healey lifted the emergency, along with a separate one declared earlier in the week in response to floods in Leominster and North Attleboro, just after noon.

“We’re relieved that the impacts of Hurricane Lee have been minimal across Massachusetts and grateful for the public safety officials who have been responding to and preparing for severe weather and flooding throughout the week,” Healey said in a statement. “Flooding devastated several of our communities this week and we will continue to support them as they move into the recovery phase.”

Three cruise ships take shelter in Boston Harbor as the storm Lee, downgraded from hurricane status to a post-tropical cyclone, passes by to the east. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

A swimmer tempts fate in the churning Atlantic at Nantasket Beach as the storm passes by to the east. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald
The angry sea along Hull as Hurricane Lee passes by to the East. (Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

Unitil closely monitoring Hurricane Lee

September 16, 2023 by pkzadmin

HAMPTON, N.H.— New England electricity and gas provider Unitil is preparing for the potential impacts from Hurricane Lee throughout the day Saturday as the powerful storm passes the New England coast on the way to Canada.

Because of the potential of high impacts from Lee’s close approach, Unitil proactively secured additional third party crews from outside of New England early in the week as part of its preparations and is prepared to further escalate its response throughout the weekend in the event of a more direct hit from the storm.

Unitil recommends customers prepare similarly making sure they have all the necessary items, including flashlights and fresh batteries, portable chargers and supplemental batteries for mobile devices, bottled water, canned foods and a manual can opener, and a first aid kit.

“As with any tropical cyclone, we recognize the forecasted conditions could change significantly should the storm change direction again, meaning we must remain in a state of readiness throughout the weekend,” Unitil Media Relations Manager Alec O’Meara said.

High wind gusts have the potential to damage trees and tree branches, which can in turn bring poles and wires to the ground. Always assume all cables and wires that have fallen or are dangling are energized and highly dangerous; be sure to avoid wet ground or puddles near a downed line.

In addition, keep away from all flooded and debris laden areas because they may be downed lines hidden underneath. Avoid driving in damaged areas so you don’t interfere with rescue and restoration efforts and try to stay in a safe place.

Unitil will be communicating throughout the event through public service announcements (PSAs), the Unitil website, the Unitil customer call center and through the media. Customers should follow along with Unitil storm updates via Facebook, X (@Unitil).

Real-time Unitil outage information will be available at unitil.com/map.

Courtesy Unitil Corporation.

State of emergency declared in Massachusetts as Hurricane Lee approaches

September 15, 2023 by pkzadmin

Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts Friday as the state braces for potentially damaging winds, rains, and floods stirred up by Hurricane Lee, a storm that is running up the East Coast and is expected to make landfall Saturday in Maine.

The latest emergency declaration includes the activation of up to 50 National Guard members to support storm preparations and response, including by operating highwater vehicles designed to deal with storm conditions.

Severe weather is not to be taken lightly, Healey said as she pointed to flooding earlier this week in Leominster and North Attleboro that wiped away roads and homes. Healey has declared a state of emergency in response to the floods there and a separate one last month in response to an emergency shelter crisis.

“Flooding, wind damage, downed trees, tree limbs, all of these things create real hazards and problems for people. We’ve also seen power outages. So we are mobilizing and have mobilized,” Healey said at the State House. “I declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts. I do this because it’s necessary to get assets in place before anything lands here in Massachusetts. It puts us in the best possible position to be able to respond in the ways that we need.”

Massachusetts joins Maine in declaring a state of emergency ahead of the storm. Healey also asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to issue a pre-disaster emergency declaration, which was granted in the Pine Tree State and allows for protective measures ahead of a disaster.

Tropical storm warnings were in effect early Friday afternoon for all of Massachusetts’ coastline, nearly all of Cape Cod, and Boston. Tropical conditions were possible Friday afternoon and into the evening with gusts up to 40 knots, according to the National Weather Service.

Hurricane Lee, a Category 1 storm, was forecasted to pass close to 200 miles off the east coast of Cape Cod but its wide wind field was expected to bring strong gusts to Massachusetts, said National Weather Service Boston Meteorologist Rob Megnia.

“We are going to be experiencing some tropical storm force winds, especially on Cape Cod and the Islands, they’re gonna catch the brunt of it. Along the east coast of Massachusetts, though, we’ll probably get to some tropical storm force wind gusts there as well,” Megnia told the Herald.

A Friday forecast from the National Hurricane Center showed Hurricane Lee's expected path over the next five days. (National Hurricane Center)
A Friday forecast from the National Hurricane Center showed Hurricane Lee’s expected path over the next five days. (National Hurricane Center)

Megnia said Massachusetts will likely experience peak storm conditions between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m. Saturday with noticeable improvements into the early afternoon.

“It’s going to be in and out pretty quick,” Megnia said.

Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Director Dawn Brantley said even though the forecast calls for moderate impacts in the state from Hurricane Lee, a series of significant rain events with smaller amounts can impact infrastructure and people’s lives.

“Having an emergency declaration in place pre-event allows the commonwealth to mobilize resources and personnel. to prepare to request direct federal assistance through FEMA, and allows MEMA the ability to take the necessary actions to respond,” Brantley said at the State House.

Hurricane Lee is expected to make landfall in Maine on Saturday, where the National Hurricane Center has issued a tropical storm warning. As of 11 a.m. Friday, the storm was north-northeast at 18 miles per hour, according to the center.

Hurricane Lee was about 395 miles south-southeast of Nantucket and about 620 miles south-southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia as of 11 a.m. Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

“Lee remains a large hurricane over the Western Atlantic,” an advisory from the center said. “Tropical storm conditions expected to begin across parts of coastal New England later this afternoon.”

With Hurricane Lee, brace for at least a ‘moderate nor’easter’

September 13, 2023 by pkzadmin

The unrelenting rain will soon be refueled by Hurricane Lee.

The National Hurricane Center has issued a tropical storm watch for a large area of coastal New England, with Lee bringing a potential “life-threatening” storm surge to the region.

At minimum, residents across Eastern Massachusetts should be treating Hurricane Lee like a “moderate nor’easter,” according to Matthew Belk, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Boston

Speaking with the Herald Wednesday evening, Belk said sustained winds should arrive in Greater Boston Friday night into Saturday, with gusts hitting 40 to 50 miles per hour for areas around Boston.

The further south you get, the stronger the winds will be, with gusts potentially reaching hurricane force across the Cape and Islands, Belk said, explaining it’s still “impossible” to know when effects from the hurricane will be felt and for how long they will impact the region.

“Lee is a very large storm, and hurricanes are not points,” he said. “Even though the path is well offshore, the size of Lee could certainly extend westward back into Eastern Massachusetts.”

The National Hurricane Center forecast the center of Lee to pass west of Bermuda Thursday and Thursday night before approaching the coast of New England and Atlantic Canada Friday and Saturday.

“Maximum sustained winds are near 105 mph with higher gusts,” the Hurricane Center said in a Wednesday evening update. “Slow weakening is forecast during the next few days, however, Lee is likely to remain a large and dangerous hurricane into the weekend.”

Variables — Lee’s path and size — are still in play to know what conditions will be like exactly, especially in terms of rainfall, said Belk, who estimated the storm could dump 1 to 2 inches across the waterlogged region.

“Fortunately, given the current expected track of Lee, the heaviest rain should be offshore. Would it be surprising if a few locations took a little bit more rain and got up to three inches? No.”

Gov. Maura Healey said Wednesday that while there aren’t plans to call up the National Guard, the state’s emergency management agency is keeping a close eye on the weather and is prepared to offer assistance.

She said the state is monitoring the conditions of dams in many communities and urged residents to take seriously any warnings of potential flooding and to stay off the roads when ordered.

“Something that looks pretty minor can, just within a couple of hours, turn into something very serious, potentially deadly and very, very destructive,” Healey said.

The governor issued a state of emergency Tuesday night following the “catastrophic flash flooding and property damage” that turned parking lots at several businesses in Leominster and North Attleboro into lakes.

Up to 300 people were evacuated by Tuesday morning in the city, which has not seen such widespread damage since a 1936 hurricane, Mayor Dean Mazzarella said . Most buildings downtown flooded and some collapsed. Schools were closed Tuesday and Wednesday but will reopen Thursday, he said.

“The ground is saturated. It can’t take in anymore,” Mazzarella said at a Wednesday news conference.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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