A SNOW-LESS Winter in Bahstin...

Boston, MA
4:43 pm EST, Sun., Mar. 1, 2009

... WINTER STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 PM EST MONDAY...

THE WINTER STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 PM EST MONDAY.

THIS WARNING COVERS NORTHERN CONNECTICUT... SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE... MOST OF RHODE ISLAND... AND MOST OF MASSACHUSETTS EXCEPT SOUTHEASTERN SECTIONS.

A QUICK HITTING STORM SYSTEM WILL PACK QUITE A PUNCH FOR MOST OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND TONIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING.

SNOW WILL BEGIN IN EARNEST ACROSS CONNECTICUT AND RHODE ISLAND BY 9 PM... MASSACHUSETTS BY 10 PM... AND SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE BETWEEN 10 PM AND 11 PM. SNOW WILL QUICKLY BECOME VERY HEAVY... WITH SNOWFALL RATES OF 2 INCHES PER HOUR. RATES OF 3 INCHES PER HOUR ARE POSSIBLE... ESPECIALLY IF ISOLATED THUNDER DEVELOPS. THE SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO POUND THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.

THE BIG QUESTION IS HOW FAR WEST THE CHANGEOVER TO A MIX OR ALL SLEET WILL OCCUR. IT NOW APPEARS THAT THE FARTHEST WEST THAT THIS LINE WILL GET WILL BE FROM WILLIMANTIC CONNECTICUT TO WOONSOCKET RHODE ISLAND TO BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS AND POSSIBLY CAPE ANN. IF IT DOES CHANGE TO SLEET FROM THOSE AREAS EASTWARD... IT WOULD LIKELY OCCUR BETWEEN 3 AM AND 5 AM AND INTO THE EARLY MORNING COMMUTE HOURS.

THE MAXIMUM SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO 14 INCHES ARE EXPECTED IN A SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST BAND FROM WINDHAM COUNTY CONNECTICUT THROUGH SOUTHERN WORCESTER... WESTERN NORFOLK... MIDDLESEX... AND WESTERN ESSEX COUNTIES IN MASSACHUSETTS. WEST OF THERE... GENERALLY 8 TO 12 INCHES ARE FORECAST FOR THE HARTFORD... SPRINGFIELD... FITCHBURG ... NASHUA... AND MANCHESTER NEW HAMPSHIRE AREAS. TO THE EAST OF THAT MAXIMUM... 8 TO 12 INCHES IS ALSO EXPECTED FROM PROVIDENCE TO FOXBORO TO BOSTON. THESE AMOUNTS WOULD BE TOWARD THE LOWER END OF THE RANGE IF SLEET MIXES IN EARLIER THAN EXPECTED OR CLOSER TO THE MAXIMUM OF 14 INCHES IF NO SLEET EVER MIXES IN. AMOUNTS WILL SHARPLY CUT OFF TO ONLY A COUPLE OF INCHES TOWARD THE CAPE COD CANAL.

SNOW AND ANY SLEET WILL TAPER OFF DURING THE MID TO LATE MORNING HOURS.

WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 20 TO 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS ALONG THE COAST LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY MORNING... WITH 15 TO 25 MPH OVER THE INTERIOR. THE COMBINATION OF SNOW... SLEET... AND GUSTY WINDS MAY RESULT IN SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES.

SAFE TRAVEL IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY 8 PM THIS EVENING. TRAVEL SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY AVOIDED BETWEEN 11 PM AND 5 AM WHEN THE SNOWFALL WILL BE AT ITS PEAK INTENSITY.

A MAP OF EXPECTED SNOWFALL IS POSTED IN A LINK AT THE TOP OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON HOME PAGE.

A WINTER STORM WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN AN AVERAGE OF 6 OR MORE INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED IN A 12 HOUR PERIOD... OR FOR 8 OR MORE INCHES IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD. TRAVEL WILL BE SLOW AT BEST ON WELL TREATED SURFACES... AND QUITE DIFFICULT ON ANY UNPLOWED OR UNTREATED SURFACES.

More Information
... AN INTENSE HEAVY 12 HOUR SNOW STORM IS ON THE WAY FOR MOST OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND EXCLUDING THE COASTAL SOUTHEAST...

Multiple flight cancellations reported
Due to March Nor'easter
Updated: Monday, 02 Mar 2009, 12:24 AM EST
Published : Monday, 02 Mar 2009, 12:16 AM EST

Kala Rama
(WWLP) - Be careful if you are heading to the airports.

Bradley International is reporting 50 percent of their incoming flights have been canceled as this Nor'easter comes through. That means over the next 12 to 18 hours, their will be a domino effect canceling 50 percent of those flights that were headed out.

The same story is also at Boston's Logan Airport. Lists of red indicating cancellations nearly across the board.

Airport operations are advising travelers to call ahead to make sure their flight is running on time and factor in extra time for travel to the airport.