Why no snow emergency?

[studeronomy.livejournal.com]

I've been hearing 4 (or more) inches projected for several days now, and it looks like that's what we'll get. Now I'm curious: why didn't Somerville declare a snow emergency last night? Does it have something to do with the holiday? Does 4 inches need to be declared by a particular forecasting organization? Or have they simply met their revenue projections for January and don't need any more cash?

Precinct Bar

[duffless2323.livejournal.com]

Has anyone been to Poker on sundays at Precinct bar? Can you tell me what it's all about or give a review? Thanks

NO Snow Emergency for Sunday - Change in Forecasts Came Too Late for Appropriate Implementation

[somerville311.livejournal.com]

 

 

Unless conditions radically alter, the City of Somerville will NOT be declaring a snow emergency for Sunday, January 18, 2009.  Residents should, however, be sure that their cars are not parked within 20 feet of an intersection, because this impedes access for snow plows and other emergency vehicles.  Whether or not a snow emergency has been declared, cars in violation of the statewide ban on parking within twenty feet of an intersection may be subject to ticketing and towing.
  

Residents are also urged to take special care in parking as close to the curb as possible, despite the snow.  Residents, landlords and business owners are also reminded that they are required by city regulations to shovel their sidewalks within two hours of the end of the snowfall, but that they may not shovel snow into the street.
 

Late this morning, federal and state emergency management officials acknowledged an abrupt escalation of today’s snow accumulation forecasts by issuing winter storm alerts for the Boston metro area.  As late as 10 a.m. on Sunday, most forecasts predicted snow accumulations in Somerville of between 1-3 and 2-4 inches.  The same forecasts predicted that the snow would fall steadily but slowly all day long.  On the basis of these forecasts, city officials decided not to declare a snow emergency, but begin systematic plowing and salting operations early on Sunday morning.
 

By the time the National Weather Service and other forecasters had revised their snow accumulation predictions sharply upwards to between 8 and 10 inches, officials concluded that declaring a snow emergency (which includes a four-hour window for residents to move their vehicles) would allow the city to begin tagging and towing vehicles after the snowstorm had begun to wind down.
 

With these factors in mind, city officials have concluded that, unless forecasts are abruptly revised again this afternoon, the declaration of a snow emergency will not significantly improve the city’s snow management operations.
 

A copy of the city’s snow regulations may be viewed here.