MEMA issued information regarding situational awareness ahead of this weekend’s anticipated snow storm. Read details in their release below, including details on the support vehicles that have been deployed for cleanup.
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DATE: February 12, 2015
TIME: 12:00 PM
SUBJECT: Winter Storms Recovery Operations and Potential Weekend Storm
Forecast Summary from the National Weather Service
A very active weather pattern will continue for the remainder of the week into the upcoming weekend.
Today, an area of low pressure will intensify. Light snow will envelop the region through the day and into the evening hours. Heaviest snowfall amounts are expected across southeast New England, especially the outer-Cape and Nantucket where around 2 to 4 inches are forecast. Behind this system, northwest winds will usher cold arctic air across the region. The combination of the two will result in wind chill values into Friday morning of around 15 to 25 degrees below zero across interior Southern New England.
Another night of cold conditions is expected late Friday night into Saturday morning. Temperature lows across much of the area will be well below zero. Combined with lighter winds, there is the likelihood for wind chill values to fall as low as 20 below-zero across the interior.
Into the weekend, light to moderate snow will spread across southern New England Saturday into Saturday evening. Overnight into Sunday, this low pressure system will strengthen quickly presenting the potential for blizzard conditions across east and southeast coastal New England with snowfall amounts in excess of a foot and winds gusts up to 60 mph on the Cape and Islands, up to 50 mph along the coast and in southern Bristol and Plymouth counties, and up to 40 mph in central and northeastern MA. The storm concludes Sunday night into Monday, but behind it, some of the coldest air of the season arrives delivering the potential of high temperatures on Monday barely breaking the teens in eastern MA and in single digits in central and western MA.
Highlights of the weekend storm include:
• Potential for a significant snowfall of over a foot with blizzard conditions across east and southeastern coastal New England
• Significant impacts to travel.
• Northerly winds will be gusting 35 to 45 mph Sunday into Sunday night with 50+ mph gusts possible for the Cape and the Islands.
• Snow will be fluffy and combined with winds expect blowing and drifting of snow.
• Expect visibilities of a quarter mile or less, especially for east and southeastern coastal Massachusetts.
• Tides above 10 feet in Boston Sunday morning; surge likely; threat to north-facing beaches (i.e., Cape Cod Bay).
NWS Storm Total Snow Map (02/14/15 to 02/16/15)
NWS Max Wind Gust Map for Sunday and Sunday Night
NWS Monday High Temp Map
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories:
• A Winter Weather Advisory for snow is in effect from 1 PM this afternoon to 7 AM Friday for the outer Cape and Nantucket. Snow Accumulations of 2 to 4 inches is expected. West winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. Visibilities one half and mile or less at timers.
• A Wind Chill Advisory is in effect today, until 11 AM Friday, for central Massachusetts and until 12 PM Friday for western Massachusetts. Wind Chills readings as low as 18 below. Winds Northwest 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph.
MEMA Operations
The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) is at Level 2 (Partial Activation) with MEMA staff and state agencies including MassDOT, DCR, DEP, MANG, and MSP. The SEOC continues to provide situational awareness and coordinate assistance to ongoing local and regional snow removal and cleanup efforts.
The MEMA Regional offices in Tewksbury, Bridgewater, and Agawam are open and staffed, and are working to fulfill local requests for assistance.
Mutual Aid via the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC)
Pursuant to a request from MEMA through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, the states of Maine, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont have agreed to send a total of 28 front end loaders, 87 dump trucks, 14 backhoes, and 36 skid-steer loaders, together with operators and maintenance personnel, to support ongoing snow removal operations. Additionally, MEMA is finalizing agreements with New York to deploy 2 snow melters from the City of New York to arrive today in Boston via EMAC.
MEMA has stood up a State Staging Area (SSA) on the MassPort owned portion of Hanscom Air Force Base, with overflow capacity at Middlesex Community College in Bedford, to receive and support all out-of-state equipment and personnel. The SSA will operate on a 24/7 basis. Out-of-state resources began arriving at the SSA yesterday and will continue to arrive today and tomorrow. Heavy equipment and personnel that arrived yesterday are being deployed today to cities and towns to assist in snow removal operations.
Resources that arrived in Worcester yesterday and are being staged at the Worcester DPW:
• 3 front end loaders and 4 dump trucks from the NY State Thruway
Resources that arrived yesterday at the SSA:
• 15 front end loaders, 14 dump trucks, and 15 skid-steer loaders from NY DOT
• 6 front end loaders, 10 dump trucks, and 10 skid-steer loaders from New Jersey
Resources that arrived this morning and are staged/working in Boston:
• 2 snowmelters from NYC
Resources scheduled to arrive today:
• 26 Dump Trucks and 2 Backhoes from PA DOT
• 2 5-yard Loaders, 2 Back Hoe Loaders, 2 Skid steers, 6 20-ton Dump trucks, 6 10-ton Dump trucks from VT National Guard
Resources scheduled to arrive Friday:
• 5 dump trucks and 5 backhoes from PA Turnpike
• 6 Skid Steer Loaders, 13 10-Ton Dumps, 3 20-Ton Dumps, 3 Back Hoe Loaders, 1 5-Yard Loader and 1 2.5-Yard Loaders from ME National Guard
Resource Requests
As of 11:00 AM, MEMA is coordinating a total of 158 active resource requests from 98 communities for snow removal assistance including heavy equipment, snow melters, and deliveries of salt.
Please note: Heavy equipment is deployed with operators.
The following missions will be deployed from the State Staging Area today:
• Boylston: NY: 2 Dump Trucks
• Chelsea: NY: 2 Front End Loaders, 3 Bobcats
• Fall River: NY: 4 Dump Trucks
• Lawrence: NY: 1 Bobcat
• Lynn: NY: 2 Front End Loaders, 2 Dump Trucks
• Malden: NJ: 1 Bobcat / DOT: 1 Front End Loader
• Malden: NJ: 1 Bobcats or smaller backhoes / DOT: 1 Bobcat
• Nahant: NJ: 2 front end loaders. 2 dump trucks.
• Newton: NY: 3 Front End Loaders, 3 Bobcats and 3 Dump Trucks
• Norwell: NJ: 4 Front End Loaders
• Revere: NY: 2 Front End Loaders
• Scituate: NY: 2 Front End Loaders, 2 Dump Trucks
• Somerville: NY: 4 Front End Loaders / NJ: 8 Bobcats, 8 Dump Trucks / DOT: 2 Front End Loaders, 1 Dump Truck
• West Bridgewater: NY: 1 Bobcat
• Weymouth: NY: 4 Bobcats
The following missions are in progress or deployed:
• Amesbury: DCR: 1 Dump Truck / DOT: Providing 2 Dump Trucks
• Arlington: DOT providing 1 Dump Trucks, 1 Skid Steer and 1 Front End Loader
• Athol: DOT: 1 Front End Loader, 3 Dump Trucks
• Berlin: DCR providing: 1 Dump Truck
• Boston: 5 skid steers
• Boston: CT Contractor sending 5 Teams (1 Front End Loader, 1 Bobcat, 1 Backhoe, 3 Dump Trucks per team)
• Braintree: MANG: 4 Front End Loaders
• Chelsea: MANG: 2 Dump Trucks
• Douglas: MANG: 2 Dump Trucks
• Fall River: DOT: 2 Front End Loaders, 1 Backhoe
• Gloucester: MANG: 6 Front End Loaders, 6 Dump Trucks
• Ipswich: DOT: 2 Front End Loaders, 1 Dump Truck
• Lunenburg: Northern Tree: 2 Dump Trucks and 1 Front End Loader
• Phillipston: DOT providing 1 Grader with Wing Plow
• Quincy: DOT: 5 Dump Trucks, 1 Front End Loader, 2 Skid Steers, 1 Low Boy
• Salem: MANG: 3 Front End Loaders, 3 Backhoes, 3 Blowers for clearing sidewalks, 3 Dump Trucks
• Sherborn: DOT providing 1 Plow Truck
• Topsfield: DOT: providing plows
• Worcester: Northern Tree: 3 Front End Loaders and 11 Dump Trucks / NY State Thruway: 3 Front End Loaders and 4 Dump Trucks.
Shoveling Missions:
MANG teams are deployed to the following communities as of 11:00 AM to dig out fire hydrants:
• Brockton: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Leominster: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Quincy: 2 teams of 4 MANG troops
• Worcester: 3 teams of 4 MANG troops
MANG is planning to deploy teams today to the following communities to dig out fire hydrants:
• Ashland: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Billerica: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Braintree: 2 teams of 4 MANG troops
• Bridgewater: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Chelmsford: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Cohasset: 2 teams of 4 MANG troops
• Easton: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Gardner: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Gloucester: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Halifax: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Hanover: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Hanson: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Hingham: 2 teams of 4 MANG troops
• Holbrook: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Ipswich: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Lancaster: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Lawrence: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Marshfield: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Medway: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Melrose: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Needham: 2 teams of 4 MANG troops
• Newton: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Norton: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Norwell: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Norwood: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Oxford: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Rockland: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Rockport: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Rowley: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Salisbury: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Saugus: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Scituate: 2 teams of 4 MANG troops
• West Bridgewater: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
• Weymouth: 2 teams of 4 MANG troops
• Winthrop: 1 team of 4 MANG troops
Salt Missions:
MEMA continues to work with salt vendors to provide salt to the following communities:
• Ashburnham
• Attleboro
• Bedford
• Bridgewater
• Holden
• Leominster
• Lunenburg
• Pembroke
• Sharon
• Wareham
• Warren
MA National Guard Deployments
MA National Guard (MANG) teams are being deployed throughout the Commonwealth to support local public safety and public works personnel with critical public and life safety issues and enhancing critical services. These teams have been instructed to work with local officials to define specific missions. Examples of permissible missions include: digging out fire hydrants, opening storm drains and catch basins to prevent flooding, clearing snow from HVAC vents at public facilities and critical infrastructure, and ensuring access to critical infrastructure such as police and fire stations, pumping stations, and public facilities that provide necessary health and social services. While cities and towns may have other snow removal needs, it is important that MANG teams first address these types of public and life safety missions across the Commonwealth before taking on secondary missions. Once these teams complete critical missions in a community, they will move on to other communities. MEMA and the MANG ask that communities that receive these teams work with them, and the soldiers, to assign missions that meet the specific criteria.
MassDOT / MBTA Update
The Commuter Rail will operate on published weekday schedules beginning at the start of service on Thursday, February 12. Some trains may be cancelled due to weather-related issues.
The Green and Blue Lines will continue to operate, but with fewer cars and less frequent service.
Limited Red Line service will be available between Alewife and Ashmont Stations only. Shuttle bus replacement of Red Line trains between Braintree and JFK/UMass Stations will continue through Sunday, February 15. Customers are strongly encouraged to use Commuter Rail service that will stop at Braintree, Quincy Center, and JFK/UMass.
Limited Orange Line service will be available on Thursday, February 12. One train will operate back and forth between Oak Grove and Wellington Stations on the southbound platforms only from start to end of service on Thursday, February 12. Customers should anticipate weather-related delays in service and are reminded to please use caution on crowded platforms.
Buses will replace service on the Mattapan Trolley Line from start to end of service on Thursday, February 12.
MBTA buses and RIDE vehicles will encounter the same road conditions that continue to challenge all motorists. Please be advised that delays and cancellations are likely and that many bus routes will operate on snow routes to avoid clogged streets, tight corners, and/or steep hills.
Due to recent winter weather, there is limited parking availability at Beverly, Salem and Lynn garages. Snow accumulations continue to make it difficult for customers to maneuver their vehicles around MBTA parking lots. Customers are strongly encouraged to consider these factors if using MBTA parking lots.
Due to icing conditions at Hingham Shipyard, all Hingham vessel departures and arrivals will operate between Hingham and Rowes Wharf exclusively on Thursday, February 12. Connections to Hingham from Long Wharf, Logan Airport, and Hull are currently suspended and will resume when icing conditions improve.
DEP Guidance on Snow Disposal in Open Waterways
Due to the extraordinary weather experienced by the Commonwealth in the past several weeks, municipalities throughout the Commonwealth are facing significant challenges in their efforts to clear, remove and dispose of historic accumulations of snow. MassDEP recognizes that cities and towns may need to undertake emergency measures to ensure protection of public safety.
As communities proceed with necessary emergency snow disposal, it is recommended you use the best management guidelines included in MassDEP’s Emergency Disposal Guidance (http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/water/regulations/snow-disposal-guidance.html), including:
• Dispose of snow in open water with adequate flow and mixing to prevent ice dams from forming.
• Do not dispose of snow in saltmarshes, vegetated wetlands, certified vernal pools, shellfish beds, mudflats, drinking water reservoirs and their tributaries, Zone IIs or IWPAs of public water supply wells, Outstanding Resource Waters, or Areas of Critical Environmental Concern.
• Do not dispose of snow where trucks may cause shoreline damage or erosion.
• Consult with the municipal Conservation Commission to ensure that snow disposal in open water complies with local ordinances and bylaws.
Communities that intend to dispose of snow in open water as outlined above must provide advance notification to DEP by calling (888) 304-1133. Communities must also consult with their Conservation Commission prior to disposing of snow in open water.
DCR Update
DCR Snow Operations:
• DCR continues snow operations on DCR roads and priority pedestrian routes.
• Preparing equipment and Rehabbing staff for impending weather.
Castle Island Parking:
• DCR will accommodate vehicles with valid South Boston resident parking stickers at Castle Island until 24 hours after the parking ban is lifted.
• Ban was lifted at 5pm Feb. 11. Vehicles must be removed by 5 PM Thursday, February 12, 2015.
DCR Resource Support:
• Cones, VSB Boards, Light stands provided to Staging Area (Bedford)
• DCR staff manning the ESF-3 desk 24/7.
• DCR staff are deployed as part of the Barnstable County IMT Team to the staging area (Bedford)
• Coordinating resource missions utilizing Mosquito Control Project:
o Newburyport Mosquito Control providing 6 Wheel dump and operator to Town of Amesbury
o Northboro Mosquito Control Providing 6 Wheel dump and operator to Town of Berlin
Stay Informed
• Safety and preparedness tips for severe winter weather may be found on MEMA’s website at: http://www.mass.gov/eopss/agencies/mema/ready-massachusetts/winter-storms.html
• For additional information and updated forecasts, see www.weather.gov/boston (National Weather Service Taunton) and www.weather.gov/albany (National Weather Service Albany)
• Utilize Massachusetts Alerts to receive emergency notifications and information from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service. Massachusetts Alerts is a free app that is available for Android and iPhones. To learn more about Massachusetts Alerts, and for information on how to download the free app onto your smartphone, visit: www.mass.gov/mema/mobileapp.
• Utilize MEMA’s real-time power outage viewer to stay informed about current power outages in your community and region, and across the state, including information from utility companies about restoration times: http://mema.mapsonline.net/public.html
• Heavy Snow on Roofs: Large amounts of heavy snow on roofs may lead to structural weaknesses or collapses in some cases. Safety and preparedness tips for dealing with snow on roofs may be found on MEMA’s website at: http://www.mass.gov/eopss/agencies/mema/ready-massachusetts/roof-collapse-and-storm-dain-safety-information.html
Online Resources:
For additional information and resources, visit:
• Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency at www.mass.gov/mema
• MEMA’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/MassachusettsEMA
• MEMA Twitter: @MassEMA
• Federal Emergency Management Agency at www.fema.gov
• National Weather Service/Taunton at www.weather.gov/boston
• National Weather Service/Albany, NY at www.weather.gov/albany
• National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center: http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/
• National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center: http://www.spc.noaa.gov/Northeast River Forecast Center: http://www.weather.gov/nerfc/
• Mass211 at www.mass211.org