Weekly Wrap-Up: Boston Digs Out Amid Eighth Snowiest Winter on Record

By Michael Kuhne, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

February 13,2015; 10:34PM,EST

 

 

Another round of heavy snow swept across the Northeast early in the week, dumping more inches onto the city of Boston, which was stricken by more than 70 inches in the 30 days.
The snowstorm ramped up early Monday morning, which led to school closures of Boston public schools.
More than 1,400 flights were canceled in the early morning hours, mostly at Northeast airports including Boston Logan International Airport, according to FlightStats.
In a Monday morning press conference, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said state crews have removed enough snow to fill Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots, 90 times.
Route 3 in Duxbury, Massachusetts, was closed on the northbound side on Monday morning after a crash on the snowy highway. Several spinouts and vehicle incidents were reported throughout Monday evening, according to the Massachusetts State Police.
For Boston, NWS reported snowfall totals, as of Feb. 13, at 79.5 inches for the season and 42.3 inches for the month. This puts the current winter at the eighth all-time snowiest season for the city.
The heavy snowfall Monday evening prompted Gov. Charlie Baker to declare a state of emergency, as the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority suspended bus and rail services across the area.
Lee Anderson adds to the pile of snow beside the sidewalk in front of his house in Somerville, Massachusetts, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015, as his dog Ace looks on. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)
In addition, multiple reports of total and partial roof collapses in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, according to local officials. No known injuries were reported.
As of 7 a.m. Monday, Bangor, Maine, had a snow depth of 53 inches, tying the all-time record of highest snow depth last set in 1969.
In order to reduce the piles of snow, Boston has opened five ‘snow farms' at vacant parcels of land throughout the city, where work crews continue to unload thousands of truckloads of snow. Yet as one whopper of a storm follows another and frigid temperatures remain, space in Boston grows ever tighter.
More than 400 active plows were out Monday evening as the third major storm in two weeks began to wind down. For the season, road crews have logged more than 218,000 miles of plowing in over 115,000 hours.
The recent storm also created a travel nightmare in areas across New York and eastern New England, causing multiple traffic accidents.
There are 78 reported crashes and 95 motorist aids in State Police patrolled areas since midnight, New Jersey State Police said Monday morning.
Icy roads also contributed to a fatal accident on the New Jersey Turnpike on Monday night. Dozens were injured in the crash involving 40 vehicles, and one person was killed.
The scene of a mulch-vehicle accident that closed the New Jersey Turnpike Monday, Feb. 9, 2015, near Cranbury, New Jersey. A highway pileup involving at least 20 vehicles, including box trucks, tractor-trailers and a bus on Monday night, left at least one person dead and several others injured. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
According to Accuweather.com Meteorologist Jack Boston, "Freezing rain was falling and pavement temperatures were below freezing at the time of the accident."
State Police said Tuesday morning none of the reported injuries are considered life-threatening. The roadway reopened fully on Tuesday morning.
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While cold and wintry weather impacted the East, warmth continued to grip the West.
In northern California, a deluge started the week with a Pineapple Express supplying the moisture.
More than 10.10 inches fell over Mt. Shasta, California, through Feb. 9, while Santa Rosa received 4.20 inches.
The rain also broke the dry spell for San Francisco after 43 days, becoming the second longest dry spell on record for the city, but did not put much of a dent in the ongoing drought crisis gripping the western U.S.
"Though rain brought some short-term relief to reservoirs, it's snow that's essential for most of California," AccuWeather.com Western Weather Expert Ken Clark said. "What is needed now is snow in the Sierra, and right now it is far below normal."
High pressure allowed for drier weather to return by midweek in the West, and Southern California was blasted with Santa Ana winds and record warmth.
Meanwhile, a storm in the Mediterranean Sea delivered snow to portions of Greece and Turkey, with an unusual snowfall occurring in Athens, Greece.
(Instagram Photo/Bevetia M.)
The rare snow fell in Athens Tuesday into Wednesday. Outside of the mountains, the snow struggled to accumulate due to above-freezing temperatures.
Snow whitened Istanbul with the most substantial snow targeting the city's eastern half.
Several AccuWeather.com meteorologists and staff writers contributed to this article.