South Shore towns hit with brunt of snowstorm

Southeastern Massachusetts was hit with the brunt of a winter storm on Monday, as high winds and tides hit the coastal areas.

The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for the coast, including Cape Cod and the islands, saying it could get 6 to 12 inches of snow through Monday evening. Gusty winds of up to 60 miles per hour are expected with some whiteout conditions.

The rest of Massachusetts, plus Rhode Island and eastern Connecticut, could see winter storm conditions with an accumulation of 4 to 8 inches. The heaviest snowfall is expected during Monday’s morning commute through the afternoon.

Communities in New England are trying to stay one step ahead of the storm and down in Plymouth County, residents are preparing for a blizzard warning.

Last January residents faced similar conditions, and many evacuated their homes voluntarily due to loss of power and flooding. There is fear of a repeat situation this year, as the wind is cause for concerns for serious flooding once again.

Forecasters said between 10 and 14 inches are expected in parts of Plymouth County before the snow stops Monday evening. Schools in Scituate have already announced that they will be closed Monday. Wind gusts have climbed to 60 miles per hour and the roads down by the lighthouse have been closed due to ocean water flooding the streets.

Over in Sandwich, intense gusts have blown the falling snow sideways. Residents said they are ready to ride out the storm and some have generators on hand, as the strong winds could bring down power lines and cause outages. The state has also banned parking on several major coastal roadways.

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency is urging coastal communities south of Boston, including Cape Cod and Nantucket, to take "appropriate action" after the National Weather Service advised that strong winds will likely result in widespread, moderate coastal flooding at high tide late Monday morning.
 

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