There is more snow and frigid temperatures in the Island’s forecast this weekend as a nor’easter makes its way up the East Coast to the Vineyard as Islanders continue to navigate the aftermath of the storm that arrived last Sunday.
Although some reports have stated this storm could double the amount of snow on the Island right now, weather experts said they don’t expect catastrophe, though do say that temperatures could feel like below zero through the weekend. Emergency officials are recommending locals stay inside.
As of late Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service, snow is expected to arrive again this coming Sunday. There is a chance for around an inch of snow to accumulate after 2 am Sunday, and more snow is expected during the daytime with a forecast accumulation of three to five inches. There is also a chance for less than an inch of snow Sunday night. It is expected to be windy, with gusts as high as 39 mph.
Ahead of the storm, the temperature is expected to be frigid with wind chills of -4 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday.
The federal agency has also issued a coastal flood watch from 8 am on Sunday, Feb. 1 to 2 pm on Monday, Feb. 2 and a winter storm watch from 4 am on Feb. 1 to 4 am on Feb. 2 for Dukes County.
Although some reports described the upcoming storm as a “bomb cyclone,” the Vineyard isn’t expected to experience a damaging impact. Bryce Williams, a meteorologist with National Weather Service’s Norton office, said while Sunday could bring up to 7 inches of snow and be gusty, he doesn’t expect a “catastrophic storm.”
“Given how cold the atmosphere is, it would lead the snow to be on the lighter side,” Williams said.
Jennelle Gadowski, West Tisbury emergency manager and spokesperson for the Dukes County Emergency Management Association, said while Island first responders are still monitoring the storm, it’s expected to be much less impactful than the one that hit the Island last weekend. Still, she said that with the “arctic cold front,” it’d be best for people and their pets to stay indoors.
Ahead of the storm, Gadowski asked people to clear snow from driveways if possible to allow first responders easier access to patients and also to clear snow from vents and exhaust pipes to prevent the buildup of carbon monoxide. She also asked people to stay off the road during the storm. To sign up for the Island-wide alert system, visit here to enroll.
Town libraries will also act as warming centers during their regular business hours, Gadowski said, and the association will alert people if emergency warming centers will be opened.
Although expected to be less impactful, Gadowski said preparedness tips issued during the previous storm still apply:
- Check your heating system and ensure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have fresh batteries
- Charge phones, medical devices, and backup batteries
- Prepare vehicles for winter travel (fuel, tires, windshield wipers, emergency kit)
- Limit time outdoors during extreme cold and dress in warm layers
- Bring pets indoors and ensure their food and water do not freeze
- Protect pipes by insulating where possible and opening sink cabinets to allow warm air circulation
- Check on neighbors, especially older adults or anyone who may need extra assistance
- Plan ahead for potential travel impacts Sunday into Monday and avoid unnecessary travel during hazardous conditions
Some organizations have already taken precautionary measures ahead of the storm. The Steamship Authority warned customers that the high winds on Sunday may cancel trips. The ferry line is also “waiving change and cancellation fees” for travel scheduled on Sunday, and changes or modifications can be done on the Steamship website, by calling the reservation office at 508-477-8600, or at one of the terminals. Meanwhile, Pathways Arts in Chilmark rescheduled a performance by the Jeremy Berlin Trio and special guests from Sunday to Saturday ahead of the storm.
Back in Norton, Williams also said power outages weren’t a big concern.
Though there was only a brief two-hour outage for some residents in Aquinnah last weekend, the overall energy system performed well on the Island, Eversource officials said.
Gusty winds forecasted this weekend, however, on top of snow could bring down trees or tree limbs onto electric lines and cause power outages, Olessa Stepanova, communications director for the Island’s utility company Eversource, said.
The snow is expected to be dry to normal consistency, similar to last weekend, she said, so concern for power lines is focused mostly on high winds. The company is sending extra crews to the Vineyard this weekend and secured additional contact crews to support restoration efforts.
Recent energy reliability efforts on Martha’s Vineyard by Eversource, including the decommissioning of several diesel generators and a two-part submarine cable installation project that was completed in early January, don’t pose an increased risk to service, Stepanova said.
“The system is operating as designed, and we have contingency measures in place to ensure reliability, including having additional crews and resources staged on the Island,” Stepanova said. “The generators that were decommissioned were part of a temporary configuration during construction, and their removal does not negatively impact service or storm readiness.”
ISO New England, a nonprofit corporation that manages the grid for the six New England states, is also prepared to meet the forecasted energy demand, which is primarily driven by weather, this weekend. The amount of megawatts available from resources throughout the region is 31,000, but prior to the start of the winter season, the nonprofit forecasted peak demand would only hit 21,000 megawatts under below average temperatures, which is what much of the region is experiencing now.
“So far, we have not hit that peak that we forecasted, but we’ve come somewhat close to it,” Mary Cate Colapietro, senior communications specialist for ISO New England, said.
The grid hit peak demand at 20,182 megawatts on Sunday, Jan. 25. Today, projected demand is 20,150 megawatts. This weekend, Colapietro said that the non-profit is anticipating the biggest peak at 19,000 megawatts on Saturday. She added that the grid always operates to meet peak demand but also carries operating reserves, like an insurance policy, in case a transmission line goes out or a power generating facility goes offline at peak demand.
Eversource said if a customer does lose power, stay clear of any downed wires — including keeping pets away — and to report them immediately to 9-1-1. Customers should also report outages directly at Eversource.com or by calling 800-592-2000 in Eastern Massachusetts or 877-659-6326 in Western Massachusetts.
