01.20.19 Winter Storm Live Blog

Post 1- 659 AM

Good Morning all.  Keep your electronics charged today.  After around 5" of snow overnight, precipitation has changed over to sleet, freezing rain, and rain.  There is a heck of a temperature gradient across the Blackstone Valley right now.

Wunderground Weather Station Temp Data 650 AM

Temperatures are in the teens and low 20's in the 01534 section of Northbridge, Grafton. Sutton, Millbury, Auburn, and Worcester.  Temps are in the upper 20's in the Whitinsville section of Northbridge and low 30's in Mendon, Uxbridge, and Blackstone.  Here is a zoomed in look at Northbridge.

Wunderground Temperature Station Temp Data 650 AM

There is a 10-degree difference from Linwood Ave to Sutton Street.  I will have my eyes glued to this data today.  There is a mix of sleet and freezing rain falling right now.  Plain rain is so close, in Blackstone and Bellingham.

AccuWeather Boston Local Radar 645 AM

I suspect the rain will make it into Northbridge but I don't see those 15-20 degree temps being dislodged from Douglas, Sutton, Millbury, Auburn, and Worcester.  That means a long duration ice event is underway.

Post 2 744 AM

One hour later, and a definitive cooling trend at the surface.  The rain line has been pushed back to Franklin, MA.  Temps that were 29-30 an hour ago in Northbridge and Uxbridge are now 24/27 degrees.  I hope you have a radio ready.  I'm going to reach out to Scott Zolak and let him know he may have a bigger audience than usual tonight.

Post 3 852 AM

The power outage map from National Grid can be found here.  The MEMA power outage map can be found here.  So far, 546 customers are without power in Massachusetts.  I do not believe the rain-snow line will make any more progress into Southern Worcester County.  If you currently have sleet and freezing rain, you will likely continue with that all day.

So how do we get sleet and freezing rain when its this cold at the surface?  We have warm air in a layer above the surface.  Its roughly 40 degrees at 5000 feet.

National Weather Service Precipitation Type Temp Profile

Post 4 930 AM

The power outage map is up to 2000 customers.  The majority of those are in and around the Boston area.  The colder than expected temperatures are actually good in Central Massachusetts.  I think we will see more sleet than freezing rain.  The freezing rain threat is shifting south towards the Boston to Providence corridor.  That doesn't mean we are off the hook in the Blackstone Valley.  When the winds increase this afternoon I expect scattered outages.

MEMA Outages map

Elsewhere, a strong band of rain and wind is approaching Southeastern Massachusetts.  Some wind damage will be possible as that reaches Martha's Vineyard and Buzzards Bay.

COD Weather Center NEXRAD 1 km Radar 

Some heavier precipitation will arrive in Southern Worcester County over the next 1-3 hours.

Post 5 1055 AM

The latest forecast from the National Weather Service calls for an additional 0.25-0.50 inches of ice accreditation through 7 PM tonight.

NWS Additional Ice Accumulation Forecast

This would be a moderate to major winter event according to a new experimental National Weather Service product.

Ice Storm Severity Index (New and Experimental)

A Flash Freeze is a major threat in SE MA, RI, and CT.

Flash Freeze Severity Index (New and Experimental)

The radar suggests that the heaviest precipitation is yet to come for Southern Worcester County into Northeast Massachusetts.  Look at this moisture feed.

COD Weather Center NEXRAD 2 km radar 11 AM

This heavy precipitation will increase the amount of ice on the power lines and tree limbs.

Post 6 1245 PM

A *Wind Chill Advisory* has been issued from tonight at 9 PM until tomorrow at 12 PM.  Here is the text from the National Weather Service.

Air temperatures will be near 0 with winds gusting to 30 MPH out of the NW. 

-ZG