BREAKING: Major blizzard to bring up to 30 inches of snow to the Northeast
MIT to close from Sunday 11 p.m. to Tuesday 7 a.m.
Conrad Straden–The Tech
A major blizzard is on the way for the Northeast. Here is the latest on the storm:
In Boston, snow will break out at around 10 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 22. Bands of heavy snow will pivot over the region and winds will pick up from the northeast. By early Monday morning, we will be experiencing a full-on blizzard, with snowfall rates ranging from two to three inches per hour, winds gusting to 60 mph, and zero visibility. Travel will be nearly impossible. Extremely heavy snow will continue throughout the day on Monday, Feb. 23. By evening, winds will ease off and snow will begin to taper off. By the storm’s end, we are expected to receive 20 to 25 inches of snow. Snow drifts could be five times as high.
The storm will begin to take shape off the Maryland coast Sunday afternoon, quickly strengthening into a nor’easter. By Monday morning, the storm will have undergone bombogenesis, meaning that it will have strengthened more than 24 millibars of pressure within 24 hours. In this case, the pressure will likely drop into the upper 960 mb range, making it a high-end blizzard. Nantucket will endure the worst impacts, with sustained winds of 40 to 50 mph and gusts to 80 mph, making the nor’easter comparable to a weak hurricane. Elsewhere in the region, blizzard warnings have been issued along the entire coast, from Virginia to New Hampshire. These regions are expected to get anywhere from one to three feet of snow. With sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph and gusts up to 70 mph, power outages are likely near the coast. Additionally, the shoreline will receive major coastal flooding and beach erosion, especially on the Cape.
So how does this affect our winter as a whole? To date, Boston has received 43.3 inches of snow this winter season. With a seasonal average of 49.2 inches, we are on track to far surpass it this winter. As you have probably noticed, plenty of snow still remains from the storm at the end of January. With more snow in the forecast later this week and below average temperatures, it is safe to say that the snow will be sticking around for a while. Stay warm and enjoy the snow!
As of Sunday morning, MIT announced that campus will be closed for all non-essential employees beginning at 11 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 22 through 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24.