‘Historic Winter Storm’ Headed for U.S. Northeast May Cut Power

2/7/2013

AP

A “potential historic winter storm” and blizzard may dump 2 feet of snow on Boston and eastern Massachusetts, potentially causing power outages and leaving 10 inches in New York City.

Eighteen to 24 inches (46 to 61 centimeters) of snow may fall in Boston, and the city has an 85 percent chance of receiving at least 12 inches from the storm that is expected to arrive in two days, according to the latest forecast from National Weather Service in Taunton, Massachusetts, published at at 4:25 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.

“Heavy snow and gusty winds will bring the potential for blizzard conditions. The worst of the storm will be Friday night into the morning,” the weather service said.

The storm arrives on almost the 35th anniversary of the Blizzard of 1978, which killed 99 people, destroyed 2,000 homes, drove 10,000 residents into shelters and paralyzed eastern Massachusetts and northern Rhode Island for a week, according to the weather service.

“Very strong winds up to hurricane force are possible Friday night into Saturday,” the weather center said on its website. “This may result in significant damage along with blizzard conditions for a time. Scattered power outages are a possibility.”

Hurricane Sandy struck the U.S. Oct. 29, flooding New York City’s subway system and leaving more than 2 million residents in the state without power.

Blizzard Watch

From 1992 to 2011, winter storms caused $28.2 billion in damage, making them the third-worst type of natural disaster behind hurricanes and tornadoes and thunderstorms, according to the Insurance Information Institute in New York.

The weather service posted a blizzard watch in eastern Massachusetts and northern Rhode Island from Feb. 8 to Feb. 9. A winter storm watch has been posted from Maine to northern New Jersey, including New York City.

“We have come to the consensus that eastern New England will be experiencing blizzard conditions late Friday into Saturday morning,” said Paul Walker, an expert senior meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc. in State College, Pennsylvania.

New York may receive 6 to 10 inches from the storm, which will affect the area from late tomorrow through Feb. 9. Areas north and west of the city, including Passaic County in New Jersey, and Westchester, Orange and Putnam counties in New York, may receive 10 to 18 inches along with a quarter-inch of ice, according to the weather service.

Northeastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey may receive as much as 20 inches.

Systems Merging

Large amounts of snow will depend on the near-perfect timing of an influx of cold air mixing with moisture coming up from the South, Rob Carolan, a meteorologist and founder of Hometown Forecast Services Inc. in Nashua, New Hampshire, said by telephone..

South of New York City, the storm is expected to be mainly rain. There is an 80 percent chance of rain in Philadelphia and Trenton, New Jersey, for Feb. 8, the weather service said.

One component of the possible storm is spreading 5 to 6 inches of snow over eastern Wisconsin today, according to the agency. A winter storm warning and advisory extend along the Wisconsin coastline of Lake Michigan.

Another part is bringing rain and thunderstorms to Texas and Louisiana.

Snow has been relatively rare in the Northeast this season. Since Oct. 1, 7.4 inches have fallen in New York’s Central Park, 6.4 inches fewer than normal.

In Boston, 9.6 inches have fallen since Dec. 1, 14.3 inches below normal, according to the weather service. The blizzard 35 years ago raged from Feb. 5 to Feb. 7, 1978.