A nor’easter is set to hit Massachusetts on Sunday, and it’s planning to stay a while.
Current forecasts from the National Weather Service predict the storm will hit on Sunday afternoon and continue to deliver heavy snowfall until sometime on Tuesday.
A Blizzard Warning has been issued for Boston and coastal regions, while a Winter Storm Warning has been issued for the rest of the state. In addition to the snow, the nor’easter is also going to bring winds gusts of 40 to 60 mph, which the National Weather Service warns could cause power outages.
By the time the nor’easter passes, some parts of the state could be dealing with more than two feet of snow.
Here are six maps to prepare Bay Staters for another massive winter storm:
The National Weather Service’s official forecast is predicting 19 inches of snow in Boston and coastal towns such as Gloucester, New Bedford and Plymouth. Cape Cod & the Islands are projected to get 15 inches.
The interior of the state will receive less of a pounding, but still more than a foot in most areas. Worcester is expected to see 17 inches of accumulation, while Fitchburg gets 15 inches and Springfield receives 13 inches:
There is a chance the storm exceeds predictions. According to the National Weather Service’s high-end forecast — which is categorized as a 1 in 10 chance — Boston could get 23 inches of snow, with southeastern regions such as Plymouth, Taunton and New Bedford possibly receiving more than two feet of accumulation:
Snow is set to begin falling on Sunday afternoon, beginning between noon and 3 p.m. in Western Massachusetts and moving east. It will hit Boston around 5 p.m.
Snowfall is expected to be moderate at first and increase in intensity overnight, peaking early Monday into Monday afternoon. At its heaviest, snow could be coming down at a rate of more than 3 inches per hour across most of the state:
The snow character is expected to be heavy and wet along the coast, with the interior of the state seeing dryer, fluffier white stuff:
In addition to the snow and high winds, there is also a high risk of flooding along the coast. The National Weather Service has issued a Coastal Flood Watch from Sunday night through Tuesday morning, warning that one to two feed of inundation above ground level is possible.
Major flooding is a possible along the state’s entire coastline:
Taking all those elements into account, the National Weather Service believes the storm will have “extreme impacts” along the coast, which is the service’s highest category. Extreme impacts include dangerous or impossible driving conditions and widespread closures, while noting that “life-saving actions may be needed.”
Most of the interior of the state will experience major impacts:
