NO SCHOOL MONDAY IN WORCESTER, OTHER DISTRICTS
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| His snowblower broken, Freddy Vega resorts to using a double wide shovel to push the snow away from his driveway on Cedar Street in Worcester this morning. (Chris Christo) |
WORCESTER — Residents are advised to buckle down for another storm over the next couple of days that could dump another 20 inches or more of snow in parts of Worcester County. Before dark Sunday, Worcester and some other school districts already had made the decision to cancel classes Monday.
A list of school closings is here.
The National Weather Service said in forecasts this morning that Worcester could see 15 to 20 inches of snow, or more, though the highest amounts would not be widespread in the county.
With light snow coming down on the city Saturday night and early today, the speed limit on the Massachusetts Turnpike was reduced to 40 mph from the New York state line to interchange 11 in Millbury. The state Deprtment of Transportation tweeted this morning that nearly 1,800 trucks were out treating state roadways.
At the National Weather Service, meteorologist Bill Simpson said a winter storm warning has been put out for every part of Massachusetts north of the Cape Cod Canal through Tuesday morning. Through Tuesday evening, he said, Worcester could receive 15 to 20 inches.
Mr. Simpson said there will be a lull through Wednesday, and then another storm system is expected to sweep through the area Thursday. He said that though it's too early to say anything definite, that storm could bring a few more inches of snow to Worcester County. And then, over the weekend, temperatures will be the lowest they've been all year.
"There's real cold coming in late Friday, to minus 5 or minus 10 degrees without wind," he said. "For Monday (in Worcester County), it will get even a little colder. It could be lower than minus 10 or minus 20 degrees."
A winter parking ban across Worcester remains in effect. It has stayed in place since Jan. 24, when the winter's first nor'easter swept through the area.
Parking is free in Worcester's municipal garages tonight, the city manager's office announced this afternoon.
The National Weather Service reports 68.3 inches of snow have fallen in Worcester in the past two weeks — possibly a record. In comparison, Boston has received 48.7 inches of snow, Hartford 24.4 inches and Providence about 30.
In Fitchburg, an emergency winter parking ban was imposed this morning through 7 a.m. Tuesday. Officials there say the duration of the parking ban will be adjusted if weather and road conditions worsen.
In an advisory statement released Saturday afternoon, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency warned travel conditions will be difficult into Tuesday morning, especially during commuting hours both Monday and Tuesday.
"Snow will fall at rates of up to 1 inch per hour at times and visibility may be low to near-zero due to winds and the light texture of the snow," officials said in a statement.
MEMA warned that large piles of snow on the sides of roads and at intersections may reduce visibility and further narrow roadways. Large amounts of heavy snow on roofs may lead to structural weaknesses or collapses in some cases.
Sunday morning, with fewer cars out on the road, police departments across the county reported few accidents. The Nashoba Valley Regional Dispatch Center reported a few minor crashes in the area.
Worcester Mayor Joseph M. Petty previously some crews with the Public Works and Parks department have been working the entire time clearing snow since Martin Luther King Day. They'll get no rest as they continue to work through the rest of the week.
Contact Samantha Allen at samantha.allen@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @SAllen_89.
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