The National Weather Service advised residents and travelers in Southern New England, including Martha’s Vineyard, to prepare for a powerful storm forecast to bring heavy snow, dangerously cold temperatures, and coastal flooding to the region.
The severe weather is predicted to arrive late Wednesday night and continue into Friday, and forecasters warn travel may become impossible on area roadways.
“Heavy snow and dangerously cold wind chills, considerable blowing and drifting snow with near blizzard conditions possible at times along the Eastern Massachusetts coast, resulting in whiteout conditions,” the weather service forecasters wrote in a winter storm watch issued Wednesday. “Snow accumulation of 6 to 12 inches across most of the region, higher amounts of 8 to 14 inches are expected along the eastern Massachusetts coast with perhaps even locally higher amounts.”
The weather service predicts winds will be 15 to 25 miles per hours, with gusts up to 45 hours. Temperatures will be in the 20s on Thursday and much of Friday, but Friday night, temperatures will plunge to single digits, making for wind chill conditions well below zero.
Of particular concern is coastal flooding, intensified by high winds and a new moon that will trigger higher than normal tides.
