Yesterday I was surprised to hear we would be getting 1 to 2 feet tonight. Nay. Check out the update:
Severe Weather Alert from the National Weather Service
WASHINGTON RI- SAT JAN 22 2005
... BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 6 PM EST SUNDAY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON MA HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD WARNING.
SNOW WILL BEGIN ACROSS WESTERN RHODE ISLAND AND SOUTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY BETWEEN 2 AND 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON... AND WILL QUICKLY OVERSPREAD THE REMAINDER OF RHODE ISLAND AND EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS BY NIGHTFALL.
THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM WILL OCCUR TONIGHT THROUGH MOST OF SUNDAY MORNING... ESPECIALLY RIGHT ALONG THE COAST AND ON CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS. SNOW WILL LIKELY FALL AT THE RATE OF 3 INCHES PER HOUR FOR SEVERAL HOURS OVERNIGHT. STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO OVER 35 MPH FOR A TIME TONIGHT AND EARLY SUNDAY... WITH GUSTS CLOSE TO 50 MPH. THIS WILL CAUSE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WITH WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AT TIMES.
THE SNOW WILL TAPER OFF TO SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS INLAND AREAS SUNDAY MORNING... PUSHING TO THE COAST BY MIDDAY SUNDAY. HOWEVER... LIGHTER SNOW WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE COAST AND ON CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS THROUGH A GOOD PORTION OF SUNDAY.
TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE ON THE ORDER OF 20 TO 30 INCHES... WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS ALONG THE IMMEDIATE MASSACHUSETTS COAST AS WELL AS ON CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS. ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL IS POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE ON THE CAPE AND ISLANDS INTO SUNDAY NIGHT.
A BLIZZARD WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OR FREQUENT GUSTS OF OVER 35 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH CONSIDERABLE FALLING AND/OR BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. VISIBILITIES WILL BECOME POOR, WITH WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AT TIMES. THOSE VENTURING OUTDOORS MAY BECOME LOST OR DISORIENTED, SO PERSONS IN THE WARNING AREA ARE ADVISED TO STAY INDOORS.
The not so funny thing about this is that I have a habit of calling my brother, Dale to laugh every now and then. I am in RI and he is still in Maine and traditionally, they get a lot more snow than we do. RI= 20 to 30". Forcast for Maine tonight? 4 to 6 inches.
I just KNOW the phone call I am going to get tomorrow.
I have plenty of milk, bread and meat in the frige. I am going out this morning to make sure I have sandwich fixings in case the power goes out. I imagine it's going to be a zoo at the market. Normally, I don't bother getting in a bunch of stuff, but back 30 years ago there was a driving ban for 2 or three days after the blizzard of '78. I am taking this a bit more seriousley than just another storm. We could end up stuck inside for a few days. If that should happen, it won't bother me. Even if we lose power, it won't be tragic. We have a gas heater in the basement that will keep us warm. I'll just batten down the hatches curl up with a good book.
Again, as I said a few day ago, the only fear I have is for the homeless. I don't know what they will do.
