Updated 4 pm Wednesday, November 27, 2013
While areas of heavy rain are still moving up the eastern seaboard to New England, gale force winds have subsided for the most part, and the travel backlog caused by severe weather this morning is beginning to ease.
The National Weather Service lifted its wind advisory at 4 pm. A gale warning expired at 4 pm, but the weather service posted another gale warning for coastal waters, beginning at 1 am Thursday, through Thursday morning.
The Steamship Authority ferries started on schedule this morning, but the SSA suspended all service after the M/V Martha’s Vineyard left Vineyard Haven bound for Woods Hole at 8:15 am, then reversed course and returned to Vineyard Haven because of the weather, according to a passenger aboard the vessel.
The SSA resumed service on a trip-by-trip basis at 10:45 am. Since then, only one early afternoon trip was cancelled.
Cape Air cancelled all flights from its New England locations this morning, and is now advising travelers that they could experience more delays and cancellations this afternoon.
SSA info: 508.548.3788 or 508.693.0367
Current SSA cancellations and conditions
Logan Airport cancellations and delays
Cape Air travel advisory
National Weather Service forecast
A windy, rainy, winter storm plowed into southern New England Wednesday morning, making travel difficult, and in some cases, impossible for those flying or driving to Thanksgiving celebrations.
At 8:15 am, the National Weather Service measured winds at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport at a steady 33 miles per hour, with gusts up to 44 miles per hour. By 4p, winds had fallen to about five miles per hour.
One to two inches of rain is possible on the Island. Flood watches are posted in parts of Northern New England, while those traveling to Pennsylvania or New York can expect a mix of rain and snow today, according to the weather service.
Travelers at Logan Airport experienced scattered flight cancellations and delays Wednesday, according to FlightStats, a website that tracks air traffic.
Numerous cancellations and delays are reported at LaGuardia, JFK, Newark, Philadelphia, and Atlanta airports. Flyers are experiencing moderate delays at nearly every major airport on the East Coast.
All Peter Pan bus routes in New England were departing at scheduled times, but the bus company advised travelers to expect delays because of heavy traffic.
Once the storm moves through on Thanksgiving day, temperatures will plunge, with lows in the teens, and high temperatures reaching only about 30 degrees.
This article was updated to reflect a correction. It was the M/V Martha’s Vineyard that was forced to turn back in Vineyard Sound, not the M/V Island Home.
