Snow Emergency Declared Effective 7 a.m. Friday, Dec. 19th

[somerville311.livejournal.com]

In accordance with the City's Snow Emergency Procedures, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone has declared a snow emergency for the City of Somerville to go into effect at 7 a.m., Friday, December 19, 2008. During snow emergencies, parking is allowed on the odd-numbered side of the street only (unless otherwise posted).  Cars not moved by 11 a.m. Friday morning will be subject to ticketing and towing.  Beginning at 8 p.m. on Thursday, December 18th, residents unable to find a parking space on the odd-numbered side of the street may park in any municipal or school parking lot for the duration of the emergency.  A list of available city lots and other relevant information may be found on the City’s website at www.somervillema.gov

School Superintendent Tony Pierantozzi has announced that Somerville Public Schools will be closed on Friday.

The City of Somerville has also discontinued all street sweeping enforcement for the month of December.  Street sweeping enforcement will resume in April, 2009.

Residents who have not already done so may visit the City's Website, www.somervillema.gov, to view snow emergency procedures, download the snow procedures brochure or sign up for Connect CTY telephone and email alerts and other time sensitive messages from the City. Residents may also sign up for Connect CTY calls and email by calling 311.  

In addition, flashing blue lights installed at 22 key intersections and entryways to the City will be activated immediately after the declaration of a snow emergency, and remain lit for the duration of the snow emergency.  As in years past, prerecorded information is also available on the City's Information Hotline, 617-628-SNOW.

Comments

[arrowintwolakes.livejournal.com]

The City of Somerville has also discontinued all street sweeping enforcement for the month of December. Street sweeping enforcement will resume in April, 2009.

A-ha! This was what I was looking for. My car is currently parked on the odd-numbered side of School St. where it says there is 1st and 3rd Friday sweepings. So it's good to keep it where it is?

[mogwaikisses.livejournal.com]

Did you see all the people get towed from School St? It was very entertaining for a day when I was stuck inside.

[arrowintwolakes.livejournal.com]

I didn't (was at work, then a party) but when I walked home Thursday night at around midnight I got a little chuckle from all the people still parked there. "You guys know they start ticketing at 7, right?" Tsk tsk!

[ron_newman]

Started ticketing at 11, according to the original post.

[ron_newman]

I hope that the blue light in Davis Square is now working. (It never worked last winter.)

[ron_newman]

It was NOT working at 9:15 this morning.

Edit: It WAS working at 11:15 this morning.

Re-edit: And it's still flashing tonight.

[ursamajor]

Is there information on where these flashing blue lights are? *just curious - a list would be nice, a map would be spectacular*

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

with all this hoo hah, they'd better have major snow.

be kinda... sad if they didn't. like other times ;)

#

[zmgmeister.livejournal.com]

No email?

Also didn't notice the flashing blue lights up yet.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_mattt/]

You've got to wait for the emergency to start :) !

[zmgmeister.livejournal.com]

It would be really useful to keep a post on the typical "timeline" of a snow emergency. Because usually they try to make an announcement by a certain time, and the one on my phone had a wording like "most likely". I'm assuming some other stage has to be reached for the emails to go out (not sure if the blue lights go on at this point or when the emergency itself begins), and there are certain times when the school lots open, and when the parking restrictions start.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_mattt/]

I don't know what their timeline is...

I am sure it is cued to the National Weather Service. Interestingly, Somerville is declaring it's Snow Emergency 3 hours before the National Weather Service Winter Storm Warning begins.

[zmgmeister.livejournal.com]

It's generally when the forecast expects four inches of snow; then they declare an emergency. They usually declare the emergency by a certain time, too.

I don't know which forecast they base this on, whether it's NWS, the local news, Accuweather, or a private meteorologist, or if it only takes one of the above.

I also don't know if they wait for that figure to be in the middle of the forecasted amount ( 2-6" ), or if they'll go to town even when it's the high end of the estimate ( 1-4" ).

Usually they try to get word out at a certain time. 6pm is typical. I think in all cases they warn six hours before the emergency starts.

I keep forgetting whether the cars have be moved four hours before or four hours after ( it's after ). If theyre expecting a morning storm they time this so the cars are off the road very early am for the plows.

URGENT MESSAGE - PARTIAL SNOW ALERT EMAIL FAILURE

[somerville311.livejournal.com]

If you are signed up for Connect CTY phone and email notifications, you have already received your snow alert message.

However, although we have tried repeatedly since 6 p.m., we have been unable to send messages with the older legacy Snow Alert system (Ocean12 ASP Mailing List Manager v1.06 ©2001-2002 Ocean12 Technologies).

We will continue to work on the problem, but may not be able to resolve it before the morning.

Anybody interested in a snowball fight?

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

Around the bike path. Two or three teams, depending on how many people there are.

Re: Anybody interested in a snowball fight?

[daft.livejournal.com]

I'm not counting my snowballs before they're accumulated.

Re: Anybody interested in a snowball fight?

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

:)

[pzykotic.livejournal.com]

I can't find the list of snow emergency parking lots, anyone know?

[pzykotic.livejournal.com]

Whoops I found it: http://www.somervillema.gov/CoS_Content/images/Snow%20Parking%20Lots.jpg

[rethcir.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I didn't get an email on this.. do you have to re-sign up for the email alert?

[rethcir.livejournal.com]

Whoops, mea culpa, the answer to my question is above..

[jeeto.livejournal.com]

Maybe haven't lived in Massachusetts long enough, but doesn't canceling school for a storm not expected to start until the afternoon anyway seem like a bit of overkill?

/is expecting actual snowfall to be around the 3 inch mark based on the insane blizzard predicitons

[koloratur.livejournal.com]

Did you live here last winter?

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1140042

I appreciate the caution, especially this close to Christmas :D Fingers crossed for a snow day for me!

[chenoameg.livejournal.com]

When they declare a snow emergency people move their cars to the school parking lots. So they school can't be in session.

(I'm also expecting around 3 inches by 5pm at this rate, but I know that the city officials are doomed either way.)

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

I used to be a teacher, and it's a complete mess when school is in session and snow starts falling midday. People bombard the office with calls, parents are coming in at all hours to do pickups in advance of the weather, kids getting pulled from class, teachers leaving in advance of the weather...you can't really *teach* anything and everyone is nervous, and it's a huge logistical hassle.

Of course, if the snow doesn't fall until 4pm, that'd be fine. And if the snow never falls, or not heavily, you end up looking stupid. But if we could predict the weather perfectly, world'd be a different place.