Just when you thought it was over, another storm is in the forecast.
The National Weather Service is forecasting another coastal storm that could bring snow and gusty winds to England starting Wednesday morning into Thursday, according to an alert issued by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.
Snow may fall at a rate of 1-2 inches during the peak of the storm late Wednesday and into Wednesday night, according to the alert. The storm is expected to dump rain closer to the coast.
Sustained winds for 30 to 40 mph are expected with up to 50 mph gusts over the Cape and Islands, according to the alert. Strongest winds are expected Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
This storm is also expected to bring coastal flooding with a storm surge of 2.5 to 3 feet and 15-20 foot waves offshore. It won’t have the sustained impact of the weekend storm, which spanned three astronomical high tides.
Uncertainty:
- This storm has yet to form and is still more than 2 days away. Small scale details such as the exact location of the rain/snow line are not usually known with high forecast confidence until 24-36 hours prior to the event.
- A slight shift in storm track will determine whether the heaviest snow would occur across Connecticut into western-central Massachusetts, or farther east into Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts, impacting the Boston to Providence corridor.
- The location of the rain/snow line remains highly uncertain, ranging from as far west as the Connecticut River Valley to as far east as the Cape Cod Canal.
Impacts:
- Storm surge and offshore wave action could result in minor coastal flooding and moderate beach erosion during the earlyThursday morning high tide.
- Heavy snow and gusty winds will result in hazardous travel conditions due to slippery road conditions and lowered visibility from blowing and drifting snow. Both the Wednesday evening and Thursday morning commutes may be impacted by this event.
- Heavy wet snow in the vicinity of the rain/snow line may result in downed tree branches/limbs, increasing the risk for isolated power outages.
- Gusty winds may cause scattered tree damage, isolated power outages, and possible structure damage, especially in eastern Massachusetts.
