Advertisement

Storm Brings Snow, Flooding Concerns To Mass.

National Weather Service snowfall graphic, as of 4 p.m. Thursday.
National Weather Service snowfall graphic, as of 4 p.m. Thursday.

A winter storm bringing wind-whipped, wet snow to Massachusetts is threatening coastal communities still recovering from February's blizzard.

A coastal flood warning is in effect through Friday evening for the state's east-facing shores, with a 3-foot high tide expected in some areas at the peak Friday morning. Vulnerable areas include Salisbury and Newbury north of Boston, including Plum Island, and areas south of Boston from Hull, Scituate and Plymouth to Sandwich on Cape Cod.

After Thursday morning's high tide, Peter Judge, with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, said many coastal roads were flooded, but the damage did not appear as bad as previously feared.

Still, he said authorities are concerned about high tides late Thursday and early Friday.

"This is not a one-day event," he said. "In many cases the worst is yet to come."

The National Weather Service upgraded two-day snowfall total forecasts with a winter storm warning through midday Friday for several areas of the state as temperatures that stayed above freezing Thursday fall overnight.

Up to 12 inches of snow is forecast in central Massachusetts and Boston's western suburbs, up to 10 inches in Boston and areas south and northeast, and up to 8 inches in western Massachusetts.

State Highway Administrator Frank DePaola said he does not expect snow to stick to roadways, but he said drivers should still be aware.

"There is always the possibility, especially on bridge decks, to come across some slippery icy spots," he said. "We'll do our best to keep the roads in good condition, but a little more attention is always safer."

Portions of the state could see wind gusts up to 50 mph. That combined with heavy, wet snow could lead to power outages.

Debbie Drew, with the utility National Grid, said Wednesday emergency crews were already lined up and ready to go in the event of outages. (Outage maps: NStar, National Grid)

With reporting by The Associated Press and the WBUR Newsroom

This article was originally published on March 07, 2013.

Advertisement

More from WBUR

Listen Live
Close