UPDATE: Snow cancels schools; causes delays

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Updated 1/7 @7:40 am

This time the snow came.

For the second time this week, a winter storm watch was in effect for Martha’s Vineyard. While Monday’s predicted storm blew out to sea, snow arrived on the Island early Friday morning causing schools to close and delays.

On Thursday night, with the forecast calling for heavy snow just around the time students would be headed to school in the morning, Superintendent Matt D’Andrea canceled classes and after school activities on Friday. The Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School also canceled classes.

TestMV, the asymptomatic testing site for COVID-19, has also closed its testing site at the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society grounds in West Tisbury, according to an email. Those with appointments have been alerted, the email states.

Meanwhile, Tisbury Town Hall issued an alert that it would delay the opening until 10:30 am. Later in the morning, the issued another alert saying the town offices would remain closed for the day. “Town hall offices will remain closed today, due to inclement weather conditions,” the alert states. That includes the Vineyard Haven library.

In a text message alert, Edgartown announced town hall and council on aging would be “mostly closed” on Friday but available by phone or email. Initially, the library intended to open, but now will remain closed for the day.

The courthouse in Edgartown is also closed.

A single vehicle accident took out a utility pole on Meeting House Road at about 5:30 am, according to Edgartown Police Chief Bruce McNamee. No injuries were reported. The crash snapped the pole about 10 feet off the ground, Chief McNamee said. Eversource buttressed the pole until it’s able to return and install a replacement, Chief McNamee said. Snow was already falling when the accident occurred, he said.

While early indications were that the snow would be light on the Vineyard, Kristie Smith, a meteorologist working out of the National Weather Service’s Norton office, said Thursday afternoon they are now predicting as much as 4 to 6 inches on the Island with the storm beginning in the predawn hours.

“You can expect persistent snowfall from 6 to 10 am,” Smith said. The storm should be over by mid-afternoon and there may even be sun in time for sunset, she said. “It’s going to move through pretty quickly.”

Smith noted that the forecast did change and by 4 pm they had not had a chance to update their maps on social media. “The Vineyard should see a healthy 4 inches of snow,” she said. “We did jump up quite a bit.”

Meanwhile, the Steamship Authority has issued the following travel alert for Friday: “The Steamship Authority is monitoring an upcoming period of active weather that has the potential to disrupt service. On Friday, January 7, 2022, up to 6 inches of snow is expected to fall west of Cape Cod, which may affect travel conditions if you are going on or off the Cape. Additionally, wind gusts of up to 35 mph are forecast for the Cape and Islands Friday afternoon and evening.”

Smith said she doesn’t expect the gusts to get over 35 mph on the Vineyard. She said Nantucket may have more of a chance for stronger winds and a “bumpier ride” on the ferries.