Blizzard to Bring Boston to a Standstill Tuesday

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

January 25,2015; 5:18PM,EST

 

 

Boston is bracing for a major blizzard that will bring the city to standstill Monday night through Tuesday.
A bit of snow will reach Boston late Monday afternoon, but overnight Monday through Tuesday is when the blizzard will unfold and unleash heavy and windswept snow.
Ahead of the blizzard, now is the time for residents and motorists to review preparation tips.
By the time the storm winds down, a foot or more of snow will bury the city and its suburbs. Snow totals will top two feet, especially west of the city. Rain mixing with the snow, however, will hold down amounts toward and on Cape Cod.
Snow in excess of a foot could alone bring the city to a standstill, but strong winds will only worsen the situation and severely heighten hazards for residents and travelers. The winds will whip the snow into drifts that could measure several feet high.

The combination of the snow and strong winds can also bring down trees and power lines, leading to power outages and posing hazards for residents who venture outdoors. Coastal flooding may ensue as the winds drive the ocean water onshore. That is especially true during high tide.
Those planning to travel Monday night through Tuesday are strongly urged to consider alternate options.
RELATED:
Latest Snowfall Forecast Map for the Blizzard
Boston Interactive Weather Radar
AccuWeather.com MinuteCast® for Boston
Motorists traveling at the height of the storm run the risk of becoming stranded as visibility drops to zero and roads rapidly become clogged and snow-packed. Officials will likely be forced to close lengthy stretches of area interstates and highways.
The worst of the storm will rage on Tuesday, when snowfall rates could reach a couple inches per hour.

Airline passengers should prepare for numerous flight cancellations with the high chance of the city's airports closing on Tuesday. The resultant ripple effect could lead to delays and cancellations at other airports across the United States, and in the days that follow in the Northeast.
Even as the blizzard winds down Tuesday night, travel problems will linger through midweek despite the return of some sunshine on Wednesday.
"Roadways may still be difficult to navigate as it can take crews days to clear some roads of snow," stated AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Brian Lada.
Snow-covered roads and tree damage can lengthen any power outages as it will take utility vehicles longer to reach the source of the outage and correct the problem.

Residents and crews will also have to contend with fresh cold in the wake of the blizzard. Temperatures will be held to the 20s on Wednesday with AccuWeather.com RealFeel® temperatures mainly in the single digits.
Even more snow is then in the forecast later in the week.