Classic Clipper

628 Comments

7:46AM

A clipper storm will move across the region today. A classic one. The phrase classic clipper does not mean a big storm (in this case, snow). It means that a system moving along the northern jet stream, out of Canada, will pass just south of most of New England, probably cutting across Cape Cod or the Islands as it redevelops, then accelerates out to sea while intensifying. This is a perfect track to bring light to moderate snow in this cold set-up. We’ll see that this afternoon and evening, except limited accumulations over Cape Cod and the South Coast due to mixing.

The clipper is gone by tomorrow morning, and we’re left with fair weather, a breezy/cold Wednesday as sun returns and then a chilly but more tranquil Thursday as sun gives way to clouds from an approaching warm front. This leads to a milder end of the week, and also unsettled, Friday-Sunday, as a front moves into then lingers in the area. It’s hard to time any precipitation this far out, but if anything takes place, odds favor rain and rather light amounts. Fine tuning of this will take place as it gets closer.

Forecast for southeastern New England…

TODAY: Clouding over west to east this morning with snow develop west to east early through mid afternoon and continuing. Highs barely to 20 remote NW suburbs of Boston, pushing beyond 30 over Cape Cod. Wind light N to NE except E to SE over Cape Cod and the Islands.

TONIGHT: Cloudy with snow in the evening, except mix/rain parts of the South Coast and Cape Cod. Accumulations less than 3 inches where mix or rain occurs, 3-7 inches elsewhere with isolated 8 inch amounts possible especially northeastern MA and southern NH. Temperatures steady. Wind variable over Cape Cod, NE to N 5-15 MPH elsewhere.

WEDNESDAY: Clearing. Highs around 30. Wind NW 10-20 MPH and gusty.

THURSDAY: Increasing clouds. Low 15. High 33.

FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain showers. Low 33. High 45.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy. A few periods of precipitation, probably rain, favoring Sunday. Lows 25-35. Highs 35-45.

MONDAY: Variably cloudy. Chance of snow showers. Low 20. High 33.

628 thoughts on “Classic Clipper”

  3. Do we know yet if that second piece of energy will form keeping it snowing all night long or will it exit early say early evening by 9pm.

  4. For Charlie

    @NWSBoston: Keep in mind, at these cold temperatures road salt is less effective. Once the snow starts roadways and walkways will get slick.

    1. Yes, the cheaper road salt that DPW’s purchase, works well to what about
      20F or so. After that, watch out. If mixed with calcium Chloride, it can work
      down to 0F or lower depending on the concentration.

      I have snow melt that works to -25F, but it’s expensive and Cities and towns
      plain can’t afford that stuff.

      1. Actually, a large amount of DPW’s treat their white salt with calcium/magnesium chlorides to help get that melting temp down…

  5. I just got done reading the ch7 weather blog and jr is saying rain will move in tonight even in metro boston, I don’t think so jr.

  6. I agree. It’s the first I had heard anywhere about rain in boston. Rain will not be an issue around here this go around.

      1. If I am reading this correctly and of course if the model is correct,
        this is nearly 2 inches in the hour period 6 to 7PM tonight.
        That would be brutal.

    2. I don’t watch Ch. 7 – only as a last resort. Sometimes as a comparison to other stations. My favorite stations are still Ch. 4 and NECN. And TK, of course! 🙂

  10. The snow to our south really looks like it’s darkening up quick. I think it will be to Boston by 11am. Watch out going to be slick today.

    1. Yes I was thinking the same thing as we work in the same area, I was surprised. Boy is it cold out there now.

    1. That’s been it’s history. On the other hand, the GFS has
      been more robust, so we shall see.

      I’m wondering how the 12Z GFS comes in and also will continue to monitor
      the HRRR.

  14. So far, I am not impressed with radar echos to our SW.
    Not impressed with the way the echos are blossoming.
    There is still time, but so far, blah blah blah.

  17. From NWS:

    US National Weather Service Boston MA
    Looking at latest guidance the afternoon/evening commute will be a difficult one. Heaviest & steadiest snow between 3 PM and 8 PM.

      1. I meant the clouds are cruising along. It’s pretty dark now in Quincy it was bright sunshine about 20mins ago. Sorry for the confusion.

    1. Yes, you can start your SNOW DANCE NOW!!!!

      I’m dancing all over my office. Can you hear the music?????

    1. Oldsalty or hadi what are your thoughts on the second piece of energy coming into play to keep it snowing all night or does it not. That’s kind of big depending on that precipitation wise.

      1. John, to be truthful, I haven’t seen that so-called
        2nd piece of energy yet. I’ve been looking for it, but
        I can’t find it.

        No one has pointed it out anywhere.

        So I really don’t know. Sorry

  25. Good morning, expecting about 2 inches, maybe 3, just saw a flake, 19 salters r salting as we speak, I do not think we will have to plow, we shall see 🙂 thanks Tk,

    1. Yes,
      I know it needs time to develop, but I have that feeling. You know, the
      ole Bustorama feeling. I hope not.

    1. I can’t say I agree.
      That will never arrive on time.
      I think we have what we have and that’s what we have or what we have or what we have or will get or have or think we have or have.

      1. The truth, NO!
        I know I am impatient and complain, but seriously, Let’s see how it all develops. 😀

  34. OSi noticed that too, your right. The back end of the snow is almost passing NYC. Based on the radar it looks like it will be out of here by 4 pm. Quick moving, honestly I can’t see this being more than 3 inches with it being quick in nature like this, unless it’s suppose to intensify and throw more precip?

    1. It could be that its would end up more than 3 inches ………. but (in my opinion) you cant always take whats on the radar verbatim and then translate it.

      I think I remembered sheer panic on this blog last year with NEMO based on how the radar looked about 6 hrs before the storm hit. Then, the energy arrived, merged with the storm and the radar looked completely different.

      Give some time for the atmosphere to play out (if its going to). 🙂 🙂 🙂

  35. I think mets are underestimating the warm-up. My hunch was and is that we’ll get over 72 hours of above-freezing temperatures this weekend, into the upper 40s and 50s, and all the snow will be gone at the coast (Boston and vicinity) except for remnants of snowbanks along the sides of roads. Lots of fog at night this weekend. It’ll feel like spring.

    1. I think that with a strong cold high to the north, they will be slow to latch on since we could end up on either side. I think we will end up on the warmer side for a time.

  37. That’s the wild card. Does a second piece of energy form to keep it going all night. That’s why Harvey had 3-6 pending that second piece. This will linger all night if it goes that way. I think it was like a 50/50 shot he said.

  38. No John I don’t think another piece develops but we will get into the 3-6 range without that second piece. I think the higher amounts will be verified.

  40. OS brought up a great point that the Michigan radar with that spin looks so far behind. Thats exactly why we arent going to get totally clobbered. Its a bit disjointed. If that spin were a little closer to this initial band of snow …… thats why New Brunswick is going to get clobbered, because by then all the pieces will have come together. Just a bit too late for us.

  45. Sun went in for a while in Lexington, but is out blazing again. I know a lot of you want it, but I hope it busts out only because my wife threw out her back and I am single Dad for a while and having to shovel and clean up again would suck.

      1. Hey North…thanks. Still battling the driveway from hell. Might get a bigger snowblower that can actually hurl snow the length of my driveway so I am not moving it twice.

          1. HAHA…newest threat is turkeys. The neighbor feeds them so they eat then for some reason go into my driveway to “go the bathroom.” Awesome. I just got a decoy coyote I have to put out.

    2. Oh dear – and as much as I love snow, I don’t mind one bit if we just have a top coat. Tough time of year and you have even more on your plate. Hope your wife is better soon.

      1. Thanks. Never had back issues but bent down to pick up an earring a few days ago and something happened. Bad timing weather wise, but its NE…it’s going to do whatever it wants.

  59. On the topic of schools and snow days….Framingham just announced middle and high schools will be released early. Elementary will be released at its normal time. Not sure if I see the logic as Elementary is the last (3:00 pm) to be released.

    2. Seriously Vicki, when I lived for a short time in Tennessee, there would be 1-3,2-4 inches of snow and either school was cancelled or delayed or dismissals and I would always tell everyone, this would never happen in New England, and they would tell me it’s bc they get snow all the time there, but now it’s all the same, I just find it amazing that the schools r so afraid of being sued its crazy, ive begun to tell alot of friends from there that its the same here as therr,, anyways back to the snow event

  64. Most schools once again closed in CT. Better safe than sorry and as I said last night all you need is one kid to fall or a bus accident then you got huge problems.

    1. It seemed mostly the religious schools and the regional schools where kids travel from other towns closed this morning. That’s pretty typical. Some are starting to announce early release.

  65. Judah got back to me and is sticking with a warm winter. He said he anticipated the cold month and thought the change would take place around the holidays. He said despite that he can still see a snowy winter.

    1. Its quite possible to have mild and snowy winter. The winter of 05-06 comes to mind. That winter we had a big storm in
      February where a lot of areas of SNE picked up over a foot.

      1. I was under a winter storm warning in Norfolk county last storm and fell short. My weather is typically more similar to northern bristol county.

        1. Sometimes that hourly snowfall accumulation map thing on ch 5 is weird, shows waaay more snow, not sure why they cant seem to make their online weather section more user friendly

      1. Charlie – lthough, as I said to Ace, I thought it was incorrect, I asked because my son drives Boston to Providence. I don’t know why you think it’s funny but I DON’T.

        Oh, I forgot LOL

        And oh, have a good day.

  70. Brrrrrrrrrrrrr

    Boston Logan is still only 15F at 11AM!!
    Bedford is at 8F

    Snowing at Worcester with 9 Degrees.

    Did someone ever say it was too cold to snow? NONSENSE!

  73. Light snow has transitioned to moderate snow, small flakes, dusting here, but the salt is working good at this point. 🙂

  74. Those echos off NJ coast and south of LI dont look to be making very much headway north. Looks to slide south of us

  75. NWS hasnt updated their snowfall map yet. Not since 4:30 this morning anyways. Curious to see an update since the upgrade to a WSW

  79. Bumped amounts up slightly. Edited into existing blog since I am mobile. Second shortwave is tiny but potent and gives a few hours of moderate to heavy snow especially Boston northward this eve.

    2. thats the energy that harvey was talking about and this should linger the snow most of tonight. That six in boston now hadi will workout.

  80. Visibility taking a tumbler here as snow begins to pick up in intensity. 😀 😀
    WOW! Before I could finish typing it has Really dropped!!!

    Perhaps 1.5 miles now, but looks serious compared to the spitting it was doing.

  84. Ok, look at this NYC Nexrad Radar. They changed sensitivity to normal in
    the middle of the loop. Those are very Serious Echos down there. It is filling
    and expanding. It is REALLY going to SNOW HARD later on.

    http://www.wunderground.com/radar/radblast.asp?zoommode=pan&prevzoom=zoom&num=10&frame=0&delay=15&scale=1.000&noclutter=0&ID=OKX&type=N0R&showstorms=0&lat=0&lon=0&label=you&map.x=400&map.y=240&scale=1.000&centerx=400&centery=240&showlabels=1&rainsnow=1&lightning=0&lerror=20&num_stns_min=2&num_stns_max=9999&avg_off=9999&smooth=0

  86. That snow from Westchester County NY moving into Fairfield County CT moving up my way with batch number two of this system. Low pressure starting to tap some of that Atlantic moisture.

  88. This thing is beginning to CRANK!!

    Look at that NYC radar above. Echos are moving Northward.
    It will envelop all of Southern New England a little later.

  89. Call me crazy but does it look like that 2nd piece of energy that was way up in the GL is now starting to gain on the coastal? Precip filling in as far south and west as West Virginia.

  90. It’s gonna dump for a short period of time. I am thinking 3-4 window of 1-2 inches per hr is possible say from 4-8 maybe until 10.

  93. I don’t know how companies, offices, etc. are planning or if letting employees out early. But I remember back in Dec. 2007. I was working in Wellesley at the time and it took me 4 hrs. to get home. A lot of places were let out at the same time which caused a lot of gridlock. I don’t know what traffic is like now – I know it will be a lousy commute but hopefully not like in 2007.

  101. Tim Kelley tweet

    @SurfSkiWxMan: Something not right about snowfall forecast in New England. We either have to up amounts inland, or keep it all snow on Cape Cod #justsayin

  103. Sorry that was old tweet.

    @SurfSkiWxMan: @SurfSkiWxMan seems adjustments have been made. instead of keeping it all snow on Cape Cod, we have upped amounts inland.
    24F Light Sn Scit

  105. @MassEMA: MT @MassGovernor Due to deteriorating weather conditions, all non-emergency state employees are being released at 1:30pm today. #MAsnow

    1. I just answered the 30th call about this, asking me when the blizzards coming? I just laugh, I don’t know what to say

  106. Plymouth Public Schools just announced that all after school and evening activities are still taking place as of now. My boys have their holiday concert tonight so I am hoping the roads won’t be too bad at 6:00. Should be interesting.

      1. Thanks Vicki, we get it done. Long week I did 25hrs straight no sleep from sat noon time till 1 on Sunday pm. Now looking like all nighter tonight. It’s all good. I’m on vacation for 1 week starting the Friday after Xmas so you do what you got to do. Stay safe.

  111. The idea that SE Mass is going to get less is not accurate, in my opinion.

    Temps arent close to 32F, dewpoints are still in the teens, low-mid at that.

    That Long Island stuff is headed towards SE Mass and the Cape. I think they’ll both do very well. IE that 1-2 and <1 on the Cape I strongly disagree with. However, they have brought the advisory out to include the Cape as well.

  112. Does anyone have a site that they use and could post for lightning detection in the northeast ?

    I’d be curious if there’s anything showing around or just south of Long Island ……..

  119. I never thought the idea of less snow in SE MA and even the Cape was correct. I bet the south shore to the canal gets more snow that i do inland

  121. Based on the radar it looks like southeastern Mass will get hammered more than northeastern masss? They are getting strong echoes

  123. Really beginning to pick in intensity again here. Still at the office. Had to deliver
    an at risk report for our elderly clients.

  126. Snowing moderately, roads continue to be just wet on rt 1, back roads r a little slushy but be cautious and u should be ok 🙂 a half inch so far

  128. Mark Rosenthal tweeted that some places in S New England could see 60 degrees on Sunday. I think that may take away our white Christmas…

    1. It won’t be enough to erase it all where there are several inches on the ground. There won’t be enough sun and there are not enough daylight hours.

      Christmas will be white in most areas away from the South Coast though it may be a somewhat aged, crusty snow.

  129. I keep seeing these bright echos down on Long Island but have yet to see them make much progress north. When they do, they weaken. Maybe im just being impatient. The snow is down there just teasing us.

  131. A light to moderate snow the last 30 minutes has turned clean roads into snow covered roads. Glad to be home, off the road. Now to see what evolves the rest of the afternoon.

  132. I stand corrected about Long Island getting clobbered. NYC and Long Island obs show either freezing rain or rain. Perhaps thats why the echoes look more intense.

    1. I was as surprised as you. I looked at a bunch of Obs and as you say, all
      over Long Island it’s Rain and it’s Freezing Rain in parts of NYC.

      I also checked a bunch of obs, if not already moderate snow, most
      light snow obs had vis of .75 miles which is still pretty decent snow,
      although technically categorized as light.

      Just above moderate snow here still.

      Heading home now. 😀

  133. Snowing pretty hard here. Vis under a mile, although I don’t think it is quite
    moderate, but close for sure. 😀 😀

  135. Todays 12Z euro does not show most snow north of boston, actually has bullseye of 6+” on the south shore toward weymouth and then down into plymouth. That’s pretty close to the current radar

    2. I tend to agree. Precip having a hard time filling in and intensity just isnt where it needs to be. Back edge of precip already showing up in western NJ and not filling back in. We already had a tight window for accumulating snow and i can see it starting to close

    1. Right over my head, lol. I think the snow gods are angry at my pessimism today 🙂 Snowing hard in Walpole, leaving the office soon. Thank god i dont have far to drive home, about 3 miles

    1. Sadly, you’re right. Make that 72 hours of above-freezing temps, Charlie. Possibly longer, with showers and fog. Aghhh! I think Mark Rosenthal is right about the warm-up. It’s going to feel a lot warmer than it actually is, but regardless it’ll eat away at snow very quickly.

      The snow today is pretty, though. Nothing beats a surprise clipper!

  145. Hey all..in Woburn…any idea when it might end and be safe to start cleanup? I know TK mentioned a second piece of energy just not sure what the timeline was. I don’t want to go out and clean up, only to get more. Thanks.

      1. Just because of a time constraint on your end or do you think that’s the safe time? I am wide open to do it.

        1. A bit of both. It may snow a bit after that but most of the accumulation will be done with by then I believe (in our area).

  146. Under that gap of no snow, it’s been only flurrying for the last hour, we’ve gotten about 1 inch to this point

  147. Mac just arrived home from Watertown (Rt 30). He said they have salted because there is not enough to plow. The salt turn the snow into slush and he said it makes driving very tricky because the slush refreezes and also grabs your tires. I hope everyone who is still at work stays safe.

  148. It’s RAINING SNOW!!! WHat I mean by that is small falkes, close together not only
    in the horizontal but also in the vertical. Amazing!!!

    Snowing moderate to heavy. I measured 1.5 inches 1/2 hour ago.

    It is really coming down!

    Roads on the way home were good until I reached JP where they quickly
    turned treacherous. No problems, however.

    😀

  149. Pete saying 4-4.5 in Boston. Looking out my window, I wouldn’t be shocked if it were a bit more if it keeps up like this!

    1. I think Boston tops out at 6+ inches. 😀 😀

      It’s coming down at about 1-2 inches per hour right now. 😀

      1. He also gave that 4″ figure while still clearly having Boston (and most of the metro area) in his 5-8″ bubble on the map…so….

  151. Loads of lightning just to our South over the waters. Quite a bit of it actually.
    I wonder if any gets up here. Usually a strong signal of rapid and strong
    intensification. 😀 😀 😀

  152. Couple thoughts ….

    Has anyone seen that echo due south of say Martha’s Vineyard. Its on the southern end of what looks like a thunderstorm. The echo is yellow and red. I’ll have to look above at the lightnind detection sites that Vicki posted.

    Its almost unreliable to look at the radar. These bands are forming in minutes. All of a sudden, one appeared on the south shore and its S to S+ here right now. Wasnt on the radar 5-10 minutes ago.

    1. Incredible!!!!

      This radar loop show lighning.

      http://www.wunderground.com/radar/radblast.asp?ID=BOX&lat=0&lon=0&label=you&type=N0R&zoommode=pan&map.x=400&map.y=240&centerx=400&centery=240&prevzoom=zoom&num=6&delay=15&scale=1&showlabels=1&smooth=0&noclutter=0&showstorms=0&rainsnow=1&lightning=1&remembersettings=on&setprefs.0.key=RADNUM&setprefs.0.val=6&setprefs.1.key=RADSPD&setprefs.1.val=15&setprefs.2.key=RADC&setprefs.2.val=0&setprefs.3.key=RADSTM&setprefs.3.val=0&setprefs.4.key=SLABS&setprefs.4.val=1&setprefs.5.key=RADRMS&setprefs.5.val=1&setprefs.6.key=RADLIT&setprefs.6.val=1&setprefs.7.key=RADSMO&setprefs.7.val=0&MR=1

  153. Also, TK ….. Is this going to be one of the nights where the precip starts to pivot ? I know the whole area will be translating to the northeast, but within that, will we be seeing the echoes start to move south to north ….. then southeast to northwest …. then northeast to southwest and finally northwest to southeast as it pulls away ?

  157. Poor snow lovers in Rhode Island. The radar hole literally covers their state. Wasnt there a storm last winter we were all commenting on where Rhode Island saw the same thing ?

  159. Still about an inch of snow, very light flurrying for the last 2 hours, roads r just wet, some back roads r a little slushy, just be a little extra cautious 🙂

  160. Getting dumped on here too. Closing in on 2.5 inches. Very fine, but thick snow. Getting a bit wet as well.

    That band keeps regenerating over Marshfield !

  164. Despite what others are reporting in other parts of the state – I can confirm that roads in the city are getting BAD. Lots of slipping and sliding going on.

  165. Roads out this way are very bad also. SIL is driving wellesley to framingham back roads and has passed several accidents. Everyone is crawling. It went from sort of bad to very bad in a hurry

  168. Back roads between walpole and sharon were terrible. Even route 27 was in bad shape. About 1.5″ so far. Under that donut hole now. Very light sprinkles of snow coming down.

  170. Block Island, RI is 41F and calm. Cape has lit SE winds. I wonder if coastal redevelopment is in vicinity of Block Island, RI now ……

  171. Moderate to heavy snow in Woburn for the last hour plus – accumulating rapidly. No snow holes up here.

  173. I think for the Foxboro to Attleboro area I over forecasted amounts, if we can’t get another inch of snow over the next few hours, it’s not gonna verify, about 1 inch here, hasn’t snowed much the last 2 hours

  176. Even though there is a back end showing, as this thing winds up, along Eastern sections,
    snow may hold on for awhile longer. We’ll see.

  177. From what I can tell, I doubt that the snow hole ever reaches Boston or Worcester. It gets no further north than SE MA. 🙂

    2. Except near Attleboro, which only means one thing. It must be the exact center of the universe, with the largest black hole known, just sucks everything in. 😉

        1. Yes yes, forgot the “North”.

          The great Ray Conniff was born in Attleboro. Love listening to his Christmas songs at this time of year. 🙂

          1. The Ray Conniff album was my absolute favorite as a kid and I still love it now. I can still picture the album cover.

  179. That red/yellow echo, which an hour ago was south of Martha’s Vineyard is now about south of the western tip of Nantucket and it is still going strong.

    New snow band seems to be intensifying from NE Connecticut to WSW of Boston.

    Also, I’m interested to see what happens to that moderate blob of precip along the southern RI coastline.

    1. That snow band coming out of CT is going to pound Metro West, then the northern suburbs, 1-2 inches from that band in a very short time.

  180. Really heavy plume of snow headed towards the Boston area, not that it isn’t snowing
    hard now. 😀

    http://www.wunderground.com/radar/radblast.asp?ID=BOX&lat=0&lon=0&label=you&type=N0R&zoommode=pan&map.x=400&map.y=240&centerx=400&centery=240&prevzoom=zoom&num=6&delay=15&scale=1&showlabels=1&smooth=0&noclutter=0&showstorms=0&rainsnow=1&lightning=1&remembersettings=on&setprefs.0.key=RADNUM&setprefs.0.val=6&setprefs.1.key=RADSPD&setprefs.1.val=15&setprefs.2.key=RADC&setprefs.2.val=0&setprefs.3.key=RADSTM&setprefs.3.val=0&setprefs.4.key=SLABS&setprefs.4.val=1&setprefs.5.key=RADRMS&setprefs.5.val=1&setprefs.6.key=RADLIT&setprefs.6.val=1&setprefs.7.key=RADSMO&setprefs.7.val=0&MR=1

  181. Just came in from a trip to store up here in Andover, snow is flying, piling up fast! The roads are quite bad. Not a good night to be out.

  182. Looks like there is a center of low pressure just south of Block Island, probably going to cut across the Cape. Shortwave energy associated with that may keep the snow going a little longer from Boston northward up along the coast even when it seems like based on current timing/radar it should have ended.

  183. I’m riding the MBTA bus down Rt. 9 in Newton right now. The traveling is horrendous! It sure does look pretty though.

    2. At least you have a nice view of the snow. Hope the rest of your trip is a safe one.

      Here in Woburn (at least in my area), it seems that rush hour has ended on the main roads. Very light traffic.

      2. Very true. Good optimism!

        We keep having to pull over for emergency vehicles. Wouldn’t be surprised if there was a crash up ahead somewhere.

  186. Tk the back end of the snow is in western mass and Northern Ct. Do u think it will fill up or would the snow tilt giving us back snow as someone mentioned earlier? This looks to be over in 2 to 3 hours if the radar is trending that way. Also how much u think reading woburn area will get?

    1. Guessing 5 or 6 inches when it’s done in Woburn.

      It will be a little slow to end as we are close to a pivot-point comma-head as the low starts to rapidly intensify just east of the MA Coast later this evening. I wouldn’t be surprised if it snows until 11 or later.

  190. Snowblower etiquette question. I go to bed early and leave for work at 6:15 am. Assuming we don’t have a delayed opening, is it obnoxious to run my snowblower at 5:00 am in my quiet Natick neighborhood so I can clear my driveway, shower, and get to work on time?

    3. Dave, thanks for asking that question. I generally leave for work before 5am. I just moved into this neighborhood and really don’t want to upset anyone. I think our best bet is to ask the police if there is a law.

    5. I agree with shotime. Maybe tonight but of there are young kids not too late. Husband will shovel tonight and do whatever has to be done when he gets home tomorrow. I am fairly sure no one has ever run one after 9:30 or before 7ish in our small neighborhood

      1. Ok…thanks. I’ll go out at 8:30 to blow and then hand shovel anything else in the morning. My kids (ages 2 and 4) are great sleepers so that should work…

  192. Yes but holds on longer to the north until 10. Some areas could see another 3-6 inches of additional snow.

      1. Applying final salt treatments as we speak, unless the snow last longer than expected, we should be done, with only touch ups in the morning, didn’t get as much here, I think here it ends within the next hour or 2. Just under 2 inches now, but with the light snow and flurries continuing this evening I’d say we get 2 inches. There must be a sharp increase north of Foxboro where the snow stays longer.

  193. I wouldnt want to be on Rt 128 from the 128/Mass Pike exit to 128/93 cloverleaf right now. Bright green, even a yellow echo along that stretch of highway.

  195. When do you think it will stop in Plymouth? Hubby has to go back to work for snow removal and we are trying to figure out an approximate time.

  196. man 5.5 inches of snow and come down. I would have loved to go skiing tomorrow but no i have a chemistry final to do. 🙁

    1. Ah ha ha ha hardy ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!!!!
      ROTFLMAO Doouble time over and over again!)!@#!_@*#(!*@#()*)!@(#*

  199. With the temperature drop, ratios are even going to come down a bit more, adding additionally to the accumulations.

  200. Looking at the Nexrad radar, it looks like the Western portion of echos are pretty
    much moving Eastward to Northeastward, while the Eastern portion of the echoes
    are moving Due North. I think it keeps going for awhile in Eastern sections.

  201. We’re on the back edge of a 3 inch per hour snowfall rate… It only lasted about 20 minutes like that but that was some extremely heavy snow.

  202. I usually complain about the NWS at Taunton, but let’s face it, they nailed this one.
    NICE JOB NWS!!!!!! I mean Really nice job!!!

      1. From the obs I am seeing, the under 4 inches is in a very narrow area that you happen to be in.

  203. Reflecting …….

    Its been a very cold, fast jump into all aspects of winter. Two storms with easterly surface winds at some point, the ocean’s 46F and there’s been 2 moderate snowfalls, even in Marshfield !!!

    Last winter, winter started in late January with cold and early February with the blizzard. In 2012, it never came. Previous winter’s seem to settle in after the solstice.

    Of course, coming up ……. if the arctic air retreats for a week or 2 to reload and there’s even some 50+ temperatures, I think its going to feel like deep spring after what we’ve seen the last 3 or 4 weeks.

  204. Heavier band just blew up on radar over Boston and to it’s Southwest.
    Right over Arod’s house! 😀 😀 😀

  210. Snow has ended where I am. Tough evening commute. Enjoy the snow up there guys since it looks like the last will see for a while.

      1. Still coming down pretty good but looking at radar it will soon be ending here. Going out to take a measurement in a few. Best guess is between 2.5 and 3

  214. We are FINALLY out of the heaviest snow area in Woburn. I’m not going out to move it until closer to 10, so by then I’ll have taken an official measurement. We had quite a bit, relatively.

    1. You got lucky this time. Estimating a half foot or more here and it’s still coming down. Plows will be out all night.

  220. Logan’s last ob reported .40 melted. Given what the temps have been the entire event, you’d have to figure they are already around 6-7 inches and are apparently sitting under a very heavy band of snow.

  221. I am in reading and that heavy band of snow south of me keeps shrinking down instead of up, I hope it eventually comes up

      2. Most people expect “6” when they see a range that ends with “6”. They forget it’s a forecast range. In this case, if the North Attleboro area can be considered to have gotten 3 inches, the NWS only missed by 1 inch.

        I know you already know this btw, but I was using your question as an opportunity to point that out. 🙂

    2. Actually they did a great job overall. Nobody nails every area perfectly, and you happen to be in the one area they missed by 1 or 2 inches on their lower end (which when you melt down is only a few hundreths of an inch of precipitation). That’s not a bad forecast for this ratio. And they nailed just about every other area. I’ll give them credit. They upped their totals for my area before I was confident enough to do the same.

    3. I respectfully disagree. Their amounts may not verify in parts of SE New England, but, in the big picture, the descriptions of how things would evolve and where the biggest accumulations would fall have been very good (in my opinion).

  223. Someone in metro west and/or the northern suburbs is going to get close to a foot of snow. Easily another few inches are likely from boston and surrounding suburbs north and east.

    1. I’m not sure we’ll see any double-digits. This thing is starting to wind down fast. Have to just watch Essex County MA to southeastern NH for regeneration for the next 4 hours, but probably not to heavy levels.

    1. Estimating by 9.
      They may be near the southern edge of an area of snow regeneration around the western edge of the low just as it starts to bomb out. Most of the action will be offshore, but since they are pretty much at the shore and near an area to the north that stands a decent chance of holding onto some light snow or snow showers, can’t count out flakes that still linger. Most of the accumulating snow will be done within the hour, however.

  225. Still coming down heavily here in Hingham. About 5 inches of new snow. Wind is whipping pretty good here.

            3. I started thinking about that Mike Nesmith video from 78 or 79 that had those roller skates. In fact in might have been the first time a grammy was handed out for a video.

    2. That was the band that came through here earlier. It was similar in intensity to the CT super snow band in the February blizzard, other than the fact it was more narrow and moving right along. Probably a gravity wave.

      1. I try not to be hyperbolic with this stuff but it really was nuts. No joke the visibility couldn’t have been more than 50′

  227. All in all, I think this clipper gave us about all it could and pretty much what we were hoping for. Pretty cool.

  230. It has lightened up some, but looks like we’re catching a bit of a heavier band that
    looks to be expanding Westward.

  231. Now that precip has intensified again here, everything is falling. Its heavy … some big snow flakes, ice pellets and some rain too ….. atop about 3 inches of snow.

    Translation : more cement. 🙁

  236. Speaking of Tacomas I have a 2009, and a 2012 🙂 Keith if you don’t like what I say don’t get personal and don’t comment on my post, thanks 🙂

      1. .thanks for permission to stay and post. I feel so blessed.

        you know what you do out here and yet you have the you know what to tell me off and that I am wrong….rotflmao

  237. Hey TK, those echos down by Delaware, is that associated with the 2nd piece of energy? Will we see any of that?

    2. That’s really just associated with a baroclinic zone trailing from the low and we won’t see anything from it.

  238. Noticably lighter intensity now. Now accumulating maybe 1/2 inch an hour instead
    of 2 inches per hour. 😀

  242. Block Island temp crashing to 28F, NW wind. Still SE winds on the Cape. Backing a bit to northeast here. I think that circular area of precip at the northern tip of Buzzards Bay, surrounded by a few yellow echoes is the low on the radar.

  243. Logan melted up to .46 for event. Based on radar trend, figure they could get another .05 to .1 ……… So thats .5 to .55 for the event. Which model had this ? Was EURO at .34 or something like that ?

  244. Snowing harder here than it has all day…white out cx at times. And of course my wife wanted to go get the tree tonight…nothing was open.

  246. about 8 inches of snow so far and one more batch of moderate snows could add another 1 inch maybe. we will see. i know we got a bout 8 inches of new powdery snow but with what is left from the last storm and then this storm so far i have about 15.8 inches of snow on the ground currently. hoping at least some of it is still here for christmas. I been so busy with finals i had not been able use it 🙁 and when i am able to its probably gonna melt. my last final is 1-3pm thursday 🙁

  248. Just turned to heavy wet snow. Wind due north. Wouldnt be surprised by a 1 hr delay tomorrow if they dont get all the sidewalks cleaned overnight.

  250. Well, this was a fun event ! Really, I cant remember a redeveloping clipper being this snow productive in years.

  252. Measured 6.75 here a while ago but was still snowing strong about 15 minutes ago. I however had some stuff going on today and completely forgot to clear several areas so my reading may not be as accurate as I would like

  253. Snowing light to moderate in Newton.

    Request: could each of you mention the town you live in when you post. Everyone says things like snowing moderately here or have gotten 6 inches here. Only one problem. Where the heck is HERE?

  255. Finishing up salting, probably be home about 10:30, but I’ll be up at 4am to send out 10 trucks for salting touch ups, the wind was so gusty, I’ve seen snow drifts of 6-8 inches in a few spots, now we have a 4 day period of above freezing temps later this week to ruin a lot of white Christmas’s 🙁 I feel like this happens a lot

    2. White Christmas is a 100% lock where I am.

      That warm-up will not be as big as advertised. Snowcover up here is going to keep it tempered. Along with the very low sun angle.

  256. It’s going to be close but places like Saugus in Essex and Maynard in Middlesex for example may just barely reach that 10 inch mark!

  257. Still snowing lightly in Sharon but accumulating snow is done. Finished with a solid 3.” Between the weekend storm and todays that makes a total of 7.5.” Cant say im not disappointed for coming up short of the forecast but just glad we got some snow. Plenty more winter to go! 🙂

  258. Iffy for a White Christmas. The warm up that is coming and the rain chances are not good and the snowpack will take a beating.

  259. Storm 1- 7″
    Storm 2- 8″
    Needless to say, I am very impressed by this clipper…from 4:30-9:30pm today it dropped the last 6″- in other words averaging 1.2 in/hr

  260. We have a minimum of 7.5 from this storm. I measured an table that hasn’t been touched since before first storm. Down to ice of first storm it measures 7.75. From ice down it is an even 7 and I know we got 8.1 first storm. So we have 14 on the ground minimum.

  261. As of 7:00 pm, Logan received 4.7″. However, I would suspect that as of this posting at least well over 5.0″+ fell.

    I have to say this is probably the most productive clipper around here in a number of years. Too often they either fizzle entirely or pass to our north and end up as mostly rain for SNE. Would you agree on that TK? 🙂

  262. Off weather but on winter and snow…mac just finished reading the autobiography of Santa Claus. I read it years ago and have been selling it ever since. He finally caught on and really enjoyed it. Written by Jeff Guinn. For all who truly believe, young and old, it is a great book….complete with history.

        1. Thanks Vicki. I think my daughter might enjoy that for Christmas too. I always buy a book for her and this year I don’t know what she’ s read, and what she hasn’t.

  263. on the board. 8.6 inches of snow and still a light snow falling.
    on board 2 i did not clear off and it has 17.2 inches on it. so basically i doubled the snowfall. hoping that at least 8 to 10 inches stays on the ground for christmas.

  265. Sorry to have missed the storm. From what Charlie said I got only a little today. Did not miss the cleanup 🙂

      2. I’ll take that number this early Tom. Cold am again and it was a cold night out in the field last night as another all nighter

  271. I am finding it hard to believe that it will hit 60 degrees by the wknd. If we still have enough snowpack, won’t that cool down the air? I’m guessing highs in the 40’s w/possibly some low 50’s. I ordinarily can’t see the chance of rain after this cold, snowy bout of weather but I know it can happen.

  272. TK – I see you have precip listed for the weekend. We are trying to plan our family trip to Fatima Shrine in Holliston and with two infants it would be difficult to go if raining. What are your thoughts on Saturday night? Thank you!

  273. With Xmas a week no problem having a white Xmas here. No way all this snow melts. Maybe further south sure but anywhere from
    Boston north and west is pretty much a gfd.

  274. Good morning all.

    Well that was exciting. Happy I was released early. A neighbor of ours took 2.5
    hours to travel all of about 3 miles to get home.

    My final measurement, 6.5 inches, Jamaica Plain. I double triple checked that.

    Technically, that clipper didn’t pass to our South, there was a redevelopment
    of the clipper on the coast. The primary clipper was a considerable distance to the NorthWest? NO? And the coastal development is what passed By about Block Island and then over SE MA or so. Yes, the NAM did NOT overcook QPF. What happened?

    Some nice intense snow for awhile last evening. Very nice, indeed.

    Regarding models. I think they all had approximately the right idea, even though
    there were model to model variations. The NAM and The Euro nailed the track as did
    the FIM and CMC. The GFS progged it too far off shore. They were all in the ball park as far as qpf goes. The Euro a little low and GFS,NAM, CMC and FIM closer to reality.

    It was fun and exciting. Now it looks to be boring for a time. Hope we get through it.

    One good thing, our office Christmas party is this Friday night. Looks to be mild.
    That is a good thing. 😀 😀

    2. I took another measurement this morning.

      I don’t know why we NEVER agree on measurements, but
      I still ONLY can measure 6.5 inches. No matter where I measure.
      I’ve been taking measurements for nearly 60 years. Go Figure.

      I’m ready for the next one, whenever that is. 😀

        1. I know what it is. It’s Orographic lift from Peter’s Hill blowing off towards your house. 😀 😀 😀

  277. I agree hadi, Boston north and west, here I’m not sure, I’m gonna see if tk thinks we will, personally I think 72 STRAIGHT hours of above freezing will melt all my snow, of course except a stray snow bank or 2. I hope not but I’m afraid so

  279. Just took a look at the official final snow totals from NWS. Here’s the link http://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&format=CI&version=1&glossary=0&highlight=off&issuedby=BOX&product=PNS

    I often question these numbers. For example, a “general public” obs of 7.5″ for Sharon is in question. Now I know Sharon borders a few towns so took a look at other obs from some of those towns in the area. Walpole 4,” Foxboro (which my house is close to the line) had 5.” At my house I measured a solid 3.” Randolph 4.5,” Milton 5.4,” Norwood 4.5.” As you can see, there is some consistency in the general area of 3-5.” How in the world did someone come up with 7.5″??? Unless they were taking a measurement from their front yard for a total of this storm and the weekend storm, then and only then can that be accurate. Ok, rant over, enjoy the day! 🙂

    1. Nice,

      Thanks and I Agree. Whoever took that Sharon measurement has their
      head up their……

      I think you may be correct. They went right to the ground and got the
      total measurement fresh and what was leftover from the weekend.

      I mean talk about outliers. There was one for certain.

      Btw, I have a new name for the holes in the snow like we saw
      in RI and part of MA. For evermore, we shall call them:

      CHARLIE HOLES

  280. Anyone with the ice crusted snow from the weekend is all set for a white Christmas regardless of how much of Tuesday’s snow melts.

    1) It won’t likely get as warm as advertised. Much of the country is snowcovered. That modifies air masses and models over-forecast warmth.

    2) We won’t get that much rain.

    3) Low sun angle. And that matters even if it is cloudy.

    2. Thank you TK – I asked about rain for Sat night above but think you might not have seen it with all of the posts. Do you think Sat night (5-7) will see rain? Or too early to know? Thank you

  281. Beautiful today. A real pre-Christmas treat!

    I respectfully disagree with TK about a `white’ Christmas. This weekend’s going to wipe out almost all the snow, with exception of some snowbanks and these will no longer be white (more gray, black, and yellow). The snow will be `eaten’ by fog, some of it quite dense on Friday night and Saturday night, as well as soaring temperatures Sunday with limited sun. I could be completely wrong in my assessment, but I’ve seen snows like these disappear practically overnight in my lifetime. It also looks like Christmas Day could see temps in the 40s again as that SW breeze kicks in.

    1. The stuff from yesterday will be easier to go, however, the icy crap
      from the weekend will be much slower to go.

      We shall see. 😀

    2. We have about 14 inches on the ground. That’s a lot of melting. Tha being said I remember last year a large amount of snow gone in one day of fog

  282. I heard this morning that LA and San Francisco are 15 and 10 inches below what they should have for precip. They need their rainy season to be a producer

    1. LA averages 15.14 inches (384.6 mm) of precipitation annually
      San Fran’s annual precipitation averages 23.6 inches (599.44 mm).

      So, 2 things:
      1. The order can’t be correct
      2. Those deficiencies represent MOST of their annual precipitation.

      YIKES!!!!!

      1. Order probably is not correct – should have been more specific. It’s why I didn’t add respectively but that clearly was an oversight on my part.

        And yes, it is serious out there. IIFC Jan is their rainy season but they will be in serious trouble with fires if they don’t replenish some

        1. Agree. Sorry, I get this way sometimes. Very particular about data, that’s my job. 😀 😀

          Didn’t mean to diminish the seriousness of the situation in anyway. They are clearly in trouble.

          Thanks for providing the info.

          1. Nope. My fault. I am usually a stickler also and couldn’t remember which number went with which city. Was hurrying and should have stated that.

            1. Of course if we want to discuss the obvious, both cities sit on a whole big ocean. Why are we not working with desalinization? We will run out of water one day and then stand and scratch our heads and wonder how that coulda happened.

    1. Sounds exactly right and the iced over crap from Saturday isn’t going
      anywhere fast.

      I think TK is correct.

  286. re: this weekend from NWS

    HIGH PRESSURE OVER SOUTHERN
    CANADA MAY ALLOW FOR SOME COLD AIR DRAINAGE INTO SOUTHERN NEW
    ENGLAND. THIS WOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES AT THE SURFACE TO DROP BELOW FREEZING…PARTICULARLY SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. IF THIS
    OCCURS…THE MAIN CONCERN FOR SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY WOULD BE THE POTENTIAL FOR A PERIOD OF FREEZING RAIN. HOWEVER…IF THE COLDER AIR DOES NOT SEEP DOWN INTO THE REGION…TEMPERATURES COULD SOAR INTO THE 50S TO EVEN AROUND 60 ON SUNDAY.

    Clearly if this cold air drains down, it will insure a White Christmas!

  287. Completely uneducated comment:

    There is no way we see close to 60 this weekend with the current snow cover.

    PURELY A GUESS.

    1. Don’t discount it totally. Under the correct conditions, it can reach 60+
      with an extensive snow cover. It probably won’t happen, but that doesn’t
      mean it could never happen.

    2. 60 is very possible on Sunday, even with a snow cover. This is Boston, not some place in Northern Canada. Even though we have limited sunlight and sun we have plenty of it compared to places way up north. This combined with a southerly wind, or a SW wind can and often does warm things up considerably this time of year. 60/65 is about the maximum it can get, but don’t discount it.

  288. Nice surprise they let the snow crew leave at noon today. I am like so tired I can’t even explain. It warned up nice today.

    1. Hey you are supposed to be snoozing…..don’t make me come down there. Also John there is a CBS local deal for PJs country house. I can post the link if you are interested. I sent it to others on SS using FB but you aren’t on FB. You buy the coupon and get $50 food for $25. Use by end of 2014

  290. No way will we lose all the snow. Stated reasons above.

    Vicki… I believe Saturday night will be rain-free.

      1. Might be a little harder to keep it there – you have much less than up here. I have 14 on the ground.

  291. Vicki,

    Just saw your post on LA and San Fran. Re Desalinization
    Sorry.

    Bermuda comes to mind.

    They do 2 things:

    1. They collect rain water on their roof tops. I think that is out.
    2. They do HAVE desalinization plants. Most of the hotels and restaurants
    use that service.

    Desalinization is NOT cheap, but necessary in some locations.

    Thanks

    2. I think as the technology improves it will become more affordable. I think we use the tech in the US now. Bringing water in is expensive also but also will eventually run out we are not smart when it comes to understanding we are depleting our resources that’s for sure

      1. If you would like me to start a rant, I can.

        Basically it comes down to MONEY.

        No one wants to allocate the money, so NOTHING is done, until
        it is too late!

        I could go on and on and get very very political, but I shall stop
        right there! 😀

  292. Got to love New England.

    @NWSBoston: Record highs possible for the 22nd. Here are the present records: BOS 62 (1990), BDL 59 (1990), PVD 61 (1990), ORH 63 (1923)

    1. I think Boston will miss their record by about 21 degrees.

      I think we need a friendly contest for the high temp for Boston on Sunday.

      I say it reaches 47 late at night but doesn’t get above 41 during the day.

    1. For your area, probably. For my area, it’s a lock. We’re not losing the snow before Christmas. Even if it does reach 60 on Sunday, which it will not. 🙂

  296. They r building another 120 room hotel, more restaurants and a flagship cvs, plus housing apt/condos, and some of the condos r already rented before they r built.

  299. i have a bad feeling that im going to see the snow killer out over the weekend. 🙁 called fog. thinking upper 40s to middle 50s but the fog will do the most damage. To the snow pack.
    chance of white christmas
    south coast,cape and islands less than 10 %
    southeast mass eastern areas. 20%
    interior southeast mass 30%
    areas inside of 128 and east of i95 40-50%
    areas outside of 128 west of i95 areas south of the pike. 50-70% chance of a white christmas
    areas north of the pike and outside of 128 greater than 70% chance of a white christmas.
    white chrismtas is at least 2 inches on the ground in my eyes. NO Brown

  301. I’m a tortured soul regarding the snow.

    It does look nice with it on the ground. I enjoy tracking and watching the storms.

    I’m rather annoyed with every other step being treacherous, my street parking spot being buried in street plow snow and the overall cold needed to keep it around.

    So, I guess if there’s some snow left on Christmas, great …… If its melted cause its very mild, that wont bother me either.

    1. I don’t mind some melting…most maybe but not all. Christmas decorations are all covered. I like to see them when we drive around. So I think Ill join camp tortured souls

        1. I didn’t like the snow when I arrived back at Logan today with no boots and they plowed all around my car on the roof of terminal B parking 🙂

  302. Any opinions on whether this is a near term (5 to 7 days) or long term (2 weeks +) retreat of the very cold air out of New England.

    I see a cold shot, in the 30s, around Christmas, but the EURO would make one believe moderation to follow after that.

    So, above, I guess I’m talking sustained cold and maybe storminess. Will it be a short term break or a long term break ?

    1. Too much snow cover nationwide, models aren’t handling the air masses as well with all of the snowcover and are moderating too quickly or they are not cold enough. Warmth will have a tough time moving north.

  304. Sunday high at Logan 53 degrees, those high’s will make it to about Manchester, NH and that is it. Maybe not even that far up.

  305. I’m starting to think Boston may hardly get TO 40 let alone above it on Sunday daytime.

    The cold high to the north has been under-forecast by the models, and the temperatures at the surface over-forecast. They forget how dense and heavy and shallow those cold air masses can be. The snowcover acts like a refrigerator.

  306. TK – I hope you are right and that most of us keep a bit of snowcover for Christmas, however, what about fog this weekend? I would imagine that regardless of temperature would enhance the melting. Pete on his evening blog predicts a very BROWN Christmas for SNE. 🙁

    Also, has the winter been behaving as expected so far and do you have any thoughts of changing for long range forecast even a little bit? Or is it right on schedule?

    2. I disagree with Pete on the brown Christmas unless you are south of the “Charlie line”. Though if you peek at my day 7, there may be some last second hope.

      So far winter is behaving as expected, though a touch more snow than I would have expected in December (all it takes is a couple decent events).

  307. I’m not so worried about how warm it get Sunday, it’s the duration, above freezing for what looks to be from Friday morning all the way to Monday, that’s along time, I hope tk is right, but I’m just afraid 4-5 inches on the ground will simply vanish before Christmas even gets here, tomorrow begins the meltdown

    1. What will melt quickly is the air-fluff that fell on Tuesday. What won’t be so quick to leave is the crust-topped mass that fell over the weekend.

  308. Blog updated!
    Trending the medium range colder. NOT buying a full-on warm spell. Not happening folks, sorry. 😀

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