Snow Emergency Declared Effective 6 a.m. Wednesday, December 31, 2008

[somerville311.livejournal.com]

Please note the following all-call Connect CTY message set to go out at 6:10 this evening:

Hello, this is Tom Champion calling from the City of Somerville with snow alert information for Wednesday, December 31st. Based on current weather projections, the City will be declaring a snow emergency effective at 6 a.m. Wednesday morning. During snow emergencies, parking is allowed on the odd-numbered side of the street only (unless otherwise posted). Cars not moved from the even numbered side of the street by 10 a.m. Wednesday morning may be subject to ticketing and towing. Residents unable to find a parking space on the odd-numbered side of the street may park in any municipal lot or in designated school parking lots.  Because school is not in session, designated school lots are available for snow parking beginning this evening and  designated metered lots will be available after 8 p.m. Tuesday night.  For additional information, please call the City’s 311 constituent service line. Thank you.

Update from the National Weather Service:
Winter Storm Warning for Southeast Middlesex County, MA


Issued by The National Weather Service
Boston, MA
4:55 pm EST, Tue., Dec. 30, 2008

... WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM TO 8 PM EST WEDNESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SNOW... WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM TO 8 PM EST WEDNESDAY.

SNOW IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ACROSS MUCH OF EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AS WELL AS RHODE ISLAND BY 8 AM. SNOW WILL QUICKLY INCREASE IN INTENSITY AND FALL HEAVILY AT TIMES BY THE END OF THE WEDNESDAY MORNING COMMUTE... WITH SNOWFALL RATES OF ONE TO PERHAPS TWO INCHES PER HOUR DEVELOPING BETWEEN 11 AM AND 5 PM. VISIBILITIES WILL BE RESTRICTED TO ONE HALF MILE OR LESS AT TIMES. SNOW IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN TAPERING OFF DURING THE EARLY EVENING HOURS.

SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS IN THE WARNING AREA ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES... WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS ALONG THE INTERSTATE 95 CORRIDOR SOUTHEAST TO THE BOURNE AND SAGAMORE BRIDGES AS WELL AS SOME OF THE HIGHER TERRAIN ACROSS THE WORCESTER HILLS AND NORTHWESTERN RHODE ISLAND HILLS.

IN ADDITION WINDS WILL SHIFT TO NORTH AND INCREASE 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH POSSIBLE. THIS WILL CAUSE CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF THE SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS.

WIND CHILL VALUES WILL ALSO FALL TO INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND NEGATIVE SINGLE DIGITS WEDNESDAY NIGHT. YOU SHOULD WEAR LAYERED CLOTHING AS WELL AS SCARVES... HATS AND MITTENS IF HEADING OUTSIDE.

A WINTER STORM WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN AN AVERAGE OF 6 OR MORE INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED IN A 12 HOUR PERIOD... OR FOR 8 OR MORE INCHES IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD. TRAVEL WILL BE SLOW AT BEST ON WELL TREATED SURFACES... AND QUITE DIFFICULT ON ANY UNPLOWED OR UNTREATED SURFACES.

Comments

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

Argh! So glad I was planning do things tomorrow.

[ron_newman]

I thought you didn't have a car?

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

I don't. But walking in a snowstorm isn't something I treasure.

[bryant]

I don't think it'll be that bad. Yahoo Weather says 2-4 inches.

[ron_newman]

And if that's all we're supposed to get, a snow emergency seems uncalled-for.

[bryant]

It is perplexing. Certainly we're talking 4-8 elsewhere in the state.

Somerville seems to err on the side of safety. Which is OK by me, I think.

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

Well, the NWS issued a Winter Storm Warning, and as was discussed last event, the City seems to follow the NWS.

From the announcement: "A WINTER STORM WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN AN AVERAGE OF 6 OR MORE INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED IN A 12 HOUR PERIOD... OR FOR 8 OR MORE INCHES IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD."

It makes sense from a legal and practicality perspective. What if there is a big snowfall event and the City doesn't declare a snow emergency? I don't think the City has their own crack meteorological team down in the basement of City Hall either, so they probably just use what the NWS says.

So in short, if we're under a winter storm warning, rightly or wrongly so, I don't think the City has much leeway in deciding to issue a Snow Emergency.

[diego001.livejournal.com]

I think he's got a cdr.

Oh, I'm punny.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

SNOWMAGEDDON II: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

I wonder if Boston is doing the same, and how it will affect attendance at First Night.

(obLink: http://www.huboftheuniverseproductions.com/events_firstnight09.html )

Anyone know if Cambridge has declared, too?

[ron_newman]

Increase it, I think, since people will want to be indoors at shows like yours instead of standing outside in the cold. See you there!

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

True, but I meant in terms of people coming out at all. Honestly, I wouldn't be too inclined to hit the road if I didn't have to. :)

Not yet.

[first-clark.livejournal.com]

No email alert yet, and nothing at http://www.cambridgema.gov/ . I have a NWS alert issued at 4:55p, though:

/O.UPG.KBOX.WS.A.0015.081231T1300Z-090101T0100Z/ /O.NEW.KBOX.WS.W.0013.081231T1300Z-090101T0100Z/ CENTRAL MIDDLESEX MA-WESTERN ESSEX MA-EASTERN ESSEX MA- WESTERN NORFOLK MA-SOUTHEAST MIDDLESEX MA-SUFFOLK MA- EASTERN NORFOLK MA-NORTHERN BRISTOL MA-WESTERN PLYMOUTH MA- EASTERN PLYMOUTH MA-SOUTHERN BRISTOL MA-SOUTHERN PLYMOUTH MA- NORTHERN MIDDLESEX MA-NORTHWEST PROVIDENCE RI- SOUTHEAST PROVIDENCE RI-WESTERN KENT RI-EASTERN KENT RI- BRISTOL RI-WASHINGTON RI-NEWPORT RI- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FRAMINGHAM...LOWELL...LAWRENCE... GLOUCESTER...FOXBORO...NORWOOD...CAMBRIDGE...BOSTON...QUINCY... TAUNTON...BROCKTON...PLYMOUTH...FALL RIVER...NEW BEDFORD... MATTAPOISETT...AYER...FOSTER...SMITHFIELD...PROVIDENCE... WEST GREENWICH...WARWICK...BRISTOL...NARRAGANSETT...WESTERLY... NEWPORT 455 PM EST TUE DEC 30 2008

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM TO 8 PM EST WEDNESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM TO 8 PM EST WEDNESDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

SNOW IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ACROSS MUCH OF EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AS WELL AS RHODE ISLAND BY 8 AM. SNOW WILL QUICKLY INCREASE IN INTENSITY AND FALL HEAVILY AT TIMES BY THE END OF THE WEDNESDAY MORNING COMMUTE...WITH SNOWFALL RATES OF ONE TO PERHAPS TWO INCHES PER HOUR DEVELOPING BETWEEN 11 AM AND 5 PM. VISIBILITIES WILL BE RESTRICTED TO ONE HALF MILE OR LESS AT TIMES. SNOW IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN TAPERING OFF DURING THE EARLY EVENING HOURS.

SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS IN THE WARNING AREA ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES...WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS ALONG THE INTERSTATE 95 CORRIDOR SOUTHEAST TO THE BOURNE AND SAGAMORE BRIDGES AS WELL AS SOME OF THE HIGHER TERRAIN ACROSS THE WORCESTER HILLS AND NORTHWESTERN RHODE ISLAND HILLS.

IN ADDITION WINDS WILL SHIFT TO NORTH AND INCREASE 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH POSSIBLE. THIS WILL CAUSE CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF THE SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS.

WIND CHILL VALUES WILL ALSO FALL TO INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND NEGATIVE SINGLE DIGITS WEDNESDAY NIGHT. YOU SHOULD WEAR LAYERED CLOTHING AS WELL AS SCARVES...HATS AND MITTENS IF HEADING OUTSIDE.

A WINTER STORM WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN AN AVERAGE OF 6 OR MORE INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED IN A 12 HOUR PERIOD...OR FOR 8 OR MORE INCHES IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD. TRAVEL WILL BE SLOW AT BEST ON WELL TREATED SURFACES...AND QUITE DIFFICULT ON ANY UNPLOWED OR UNTREATED SURFACES.

[ser-pez.livejournal.com]

i may be alone in this, but i'm amused that the national weather service is advising us to wear mittens.

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

You're not alone.

I thought that was hilarious -- no, not gloves, but mittens!

I also think it's funny that they always yell, but someone corrected me that they have to use all caps.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

Yes, I too think "stop yelling, National Weather Service" before I remember that they have to.

[ron_newman]

Anyone know why? I think teletypes with mixed case were ubiquitous by the mid-1970s.

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

My understanding was that upper case avoids ambiguity, and that is why it is used exclusively in things like construction blueprints, aviation, etc.

[squonk.livejournal.com]

I thought that was funny, too. Someone at the NWS has obviously been conferring with my mother.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

That...would be awesome.

...FREE SHOW WARNING IN DAVIS SQUARE SOMERVILLE...

ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL MOM SERVICE

IF YOU WEAR A TOP LIKE THAT YOU'LL BE SHOWING EVERYTHING GOD GAVE YOU. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRETTY AND SLUTTY, YOU KNOW. HOW ABOUT A LITTLE SCARF OR THAT NICE SWEATER I GOT YOU FOR CHRISTMAS THAT YOU NEVER WEAR? DON'T LOOK AWAY FROM ME WHILE I'M TALKING TO YOU YOUNG LADY.

[craigindaville.livejournal.com]

Holy cow, I haven't chuckled that hard in a long time! Thanks!!!1!!!1!!

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

OMG, that was great. Thank you for a good laugh with my morning coffee and work email :P

[winterhill.livejournal.com]

Sweet.

But please stop channeling my mom. Mkay?

[squonk.livejournal.com]

FTW.

[xile999.livejournal.com]

I have a 6am flight out of Logan, any chance that it won't get delayed?

[chenoameg.livejournal.com]

6am on the 31st? The snow might not be particularly started by then (there's only a 30% chance of snow until 7am), and a 6am flight has a good chance of having overnighted in Boston, so no worries about plane/crew coming from other snowbound places.

So yeah, you still need to get up at a crazy hour tomorrow, sorry.

(If your flight is the 1st, I think you're screwed.)

[xile999.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's on the 31st. Thanks for the info :-D

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

I think you'll get out okay... The best time to fly is the early morning. Of course, you have to get up at some ungodly hour.

[bettyw.livejournal.com]

Cambridge just emailed their snow emergency starts at noon (http://www.cambridgema.gov/alert.cfm?alert_id=91).

[winterhill.livejournal.com]

Say what you will about Somerville overreacting to a snow emergency, I think Cambridge was a little late on this one. By noon it was positively bucketing down.

[wonkywheels.livejournal.com]

Aargh. I never got an e-mail from Somerville about this, and I know I have subscribed to the e-mail alerts before because when I just went to subscribe, it said, "You are already a member." So, I got a $100 ticket and no e-mail. Aaargh.

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

I've actually had the same problem, I wonder if it went into spam folders? I forgot the check mine...

Sorry about your ticket, that does suck. I got that the first time I lived here in 02, and ended up driving around for hours looking for a spot. Ugh.

[wonkywheels.livejournal.com]

I've gotten it in years past, so I don't think it's considered spam. Did you get one yesterday?

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

Nope! I didn't, and I didn't get one for the last snow emergency either. And nothing in my Spam! How odd...

[wonkywheels.livejournal.com]

Hmm.... interesting. I wonder if I can use this to appeal my ticket.

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

Maybe the system is kerflooie, though the blinking blue lights at the intersections may be their argument..

Good luck though.