Alert archive / Massachusetts / Special Weather Statements in 2017

Special Weather Statement, NWS Boston/Norton, MA

March 3, 20174 counties in Massachusetts; 4 counties in Rhode Island

NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this special weather statement at Mar 3, 2017, 8:01 PM EST for 4 counties in Massachusetts; 4 counties in Rhode Island. It was in force for 59 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Mar 3, 2017, 8:01 PM EST (01:01 UTC)
Expired
Mar 3, 2017, 9:00 PM EST
In force
59 min
Issued by
NWS Boston/Norton, MA

Counties Bristol County, MA, Norfolk County, MA, Plymouth County, MA, Suffolk County, MA, Bristol County, RI, Kent County, RI, Newport County, RI, Washington County, RI

The radar

The Boston radar (KBOX), 12 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:04 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Chatham, MA (KCHH), launched 00:00Z, 1.0 hours before the alert went out and 100 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Chatham, MA at 00:00Z on 2017-03-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Chatham, MA at 00:00Z on 2017-03-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 49 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
2147 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
49 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
113 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

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What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this special weather statement went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Boston/Norton, MA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this special weather statement went out at Mar 3, 6:55 PM EST, 1 hour 6 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 3, 6:55 PM EST, 1 hour 6 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 3, 4:41 PM EST, 3 hours 20 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Taunton MA
441 PM EST Fri Mar 3 2017

CTZ002>004-MAZ002>024-026-RIZ001>008-042145-
Hartford CT-Tolland CT-Windham CT-Western Franklin MA-
Eastern Franklin MA-Northern Worcester MA-Central Middlesex MA-
Western Essex MA-Eastern Essex MA-Western Hampshire MA-
Western Hampden MA-Eastern Hampshire MA-Eastern Hampden MA-
Southern Worcester MA-Western Norfolk MA-Southeast Middlesex MA-
Suffolk MA-Eastern Norfolk MA-Northern Bristol MA-
Western Plymouth MA-Eastern Plymouth MA-Southern Bristol MA-
Southern Plymouth MA-Barnstable MA-Dukes MA-Nantucket MA-
Northern Middlesex MA-Northwest Providence RI-
Southeast Providence RI-Western Kent RI-Eastern Kent RI-Bristol RI-
Washington RI-Newport RI-Block Island RI-
441 PM EST Fri Mar 3 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northern Connecticut, all of
Massachusetts except Berkshire County, and Rhode Island.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

There is a high risk that Wind Chill Advisories Will be needed
Saturday night into early Sunday morning for the Worcester Hills and
east slopes of the Berkshires. This would be for wind chills around
15 below zero.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

ANZ256-042145-
Coastal Waters from Montauk NY to Marthas Vineyard extending out to
20 nm South of Block Island-
441 PM EST Fri Mar 3 2017

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 4 PM EST SATURDAY...
...FREEZING SPRAY ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM SATURDAY TO 7 AM EST
SUNDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Rhode Island coastal waters.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Gale Warning.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Gale Warning.
   Freezing Spray Advisory.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

ANZ255-042145-
Coastal Waters extending out to 25 nm South of Marthas Vineyard and
Nantucket-
441 PM EST Fri Mar 3 2017

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 4 PM EST SATURDAY...
...FREEZING SPRAY ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM SATURDAY TO 7 AM EST
SUNDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Massachusetts coastal waters.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Gale Warning.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Gale Warning.
   Freezing Spray Advisory.

There is a low to moderate risk that a few hours of heavy freezing
spray may occur very early Saturday morning and then again Saturday
night. Therefore...it is possible the Freezing Spray Advisory may
need to be upgraded to a Heavy Freezing Spray Warning.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

ANZ250-254-042145-
Coastal waters east of Ipswich Bay and the Stellwagen Bank National
Marine Sanctuary-
Coastal waters from Provincetown MA to Chatham MA to Nantucket MA
out 20 nm-
441 PM EST Fri Mar 3 2017

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM SATURDAY TO 7 AM EST SUNDAY...
...FREEZING SPRAY ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM SATURDAY TO 7 AM EST
SUNDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Massachusetts coastal waters.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Gale Warning.
   Freezing Spray Advisory.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Gale Warning.
   Freezing Spray Advisory.

There is a low to moderate risk that a few hours of heavy freezing
spray may occur very early Saturday morning and then again Saturday
night. Therefore...it is possible the Freezing Spray Advisory may
need to be upgraded to a Heavy Freezing Spray Warning.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

ANZ231-251-042145-
Cape Cod Bay-Massachusetts Bay and Ipswich Bay-
441 PM EST Fri Mar 3 2017

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM SATURDAY TO 1 AM EST SUNDAY...
...FREEZING SPRAY ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM SATURDAY TO 7 AM EST
SUNDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Massachusetts coastal waters.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Freezing Spray Advisory.
   Gale Warning.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Freezing Spray Advisory.
   Gale Warning.

There is a low to moderate risk that a few hours of heavy freezing
spray may occur very early Saturday morning and then again Saturday
night. Therefore...it is possible the Freezing Spray Advisory may
need to be upgraded to a Heavy Freezing Spray Warning.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

ANZ235-237-042145-
Rhode Island Sound-Block Island Sound-
441 PM EST Fri Mar 3 2017

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM TO 4 PM EST SATURDAY...
...FREEZING SPRAY ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM SATURDAY TO 7 AM EST
SUNDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Rhode Island coastal waters.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Gale Warning.
   Freezing Spray Advisory.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

ANZ230-236-042145-
Boston Harbor-Narragansett Bay-
441 PM EST Fri Mar 3 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Massachusetts coastal waters
and Rhode Island coastal waters.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

ANZ232>234-042145-
Nantucket Sound-Vineyard Sound-Buzzards Bay-
441 PM EST Fri Mar 3 2017

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM SATURDAY TO 1 AM EST SUNDAY...
...FREEZING SPRAY ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM SATURDAY TO 7 AM EST
SUNDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Massachusetts coastal waters.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Gale Warning.
   Freezing Spray Advisory.

There is a low to moderate risk that a few hours of heavy freezing
spray may occur very early Saturday morning and then again Saturday
night. Therefore...it is possible the Freezing Spray Advisory may
need to be upgraded to a Heavy Freezing Spray Warning.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

For the latest updates...please visit our webpage at
www.weather.gov/boston

You can follow us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/NWSBoston

You can follow us on Twitter at
@NWSBoston

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Mar 3, 4:23 PM EST, 3 hours 38 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Taunton MA
423 PM EST Fri Mar 3 2017

CTZ002>004-MAZ002>024-026-RIZ001>008-040330-
Hartford CT-Tolland CT-Windham CT-Western Franklin MA-
Eastern Franklin MA-Northern Worcester MA-Central Middlesex MA-
Western Essex MA-Eastern Essex MA-Western Hampshire MA-
Western Hampden MA-Eastern Hampshire MA-Eastern Hampden MA-
Southern Worcester MA-Western Norfolk MA-Southeast Middlesex MA-
Suffolk MA-Eastern Norfolk MA-Northern Bristol MA-
Western Plymouth MA-Eastern Plymouth MA-Southern Bristol MA-
Southern Plymouth MA-Barnstable MA-Dukes MA-Nantucket MA-
Northern Middlesex MA-Northwest Providence RI-
Southeast Providence RI-Western Kent RI-Eastern Kent RI-
Bristol RI-Washington RI-Newport RI-Block Island RI-
Including the cities of Hartford, Windsor Locks, Union, Vernon,
Putnam, Willimantic, Charlemont, Greenfield, Orange, Barre,
Fitchburg, Framingham, Lowell, Lawrence, Gloucester,
Chesterfield, Blandford, Amherst, Northampton, Springfield,
Milford, Worcester, Foxborough, Norwood, Cambridge, Boston,
Quincy, Taunton, Brockton, Plymouth, Fall River, New Bedford,
Mattapoisett, Chatham, Falmouth, Provincetown, Vineyard Haven,
Nantucket, Ayer, Foster, Smithfield, Providence, Coventry,
West Greenwich, East Greenwich, Warwick, West Warwick, Bristol,
Narragansett, Westerly, Newport, and New Shoreham
423 PM EST Fri Mar 3 2017

...Scattered Snow Squalls With Brief Heavy Snow, Poor Visibility,
Slippery Roads and Gusty Northwest Winds This Evening...

An arctic cold front will cross the region this evening and will
be accompanied be scattered snow squalls, with quick
accumulations on area roads and rapid visibility reductions at
times. These snow squalls will first overspread western
Massachusetts and Connecticut between 5 pm and 7 pm, this includes
the Greater Hartford and Springfield area, then into Rhode Island
and eastern Massachusetts including the Greater Boston area
between 7 pm and 9 pm.

Note that, like summertime thunderstorms, these squalls will be
hit-or-miss with some locations seeing little to no impact. Latest
forecast guidance suggest that there could be a second round of
snow squalls, exiting southern New Hampshire and into northern
Massachusetts between 9 pm and midnight. These narrow but brief
intense snow bands are extremely difficult to pinpoint exact
timing and location. Nonetheless evening commuters need to be
prepared for rapid but brief changes in visibility and potentially
snow covered roads for a time.

In addition, behind this arctic front frigid temperatures will
overspread the area late tonight and continue into Sunday morning
with bitterly cold late night/early morning wind chills below
zero!

Nocera
Special weather statement, Mar 3, 5:50 PM EST, 2 hours 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE Taunton MA
550 PM EST FRI MAR 3 2017

CTZ002-MAZ002>004-008>011-032345-
Hartford-Western Franklin-Western Hampshire-Western Hampden-Eastern
Hampden-Northern Worcester-Eastern Franklin-Eastern Hampshire-
550 PM EST FRI MAR 3 2017

...HEAVY SNOW SQUALLS WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN FRANKLIN...
HAMPSHIRE...HAMPDEN...HARTFORD AND WESTERN WORCESTER COUNTIES...

At 544 PM EST...dangerous snow squalls were along a line extending
from near Plainfield to Great Barrington...moving east at 35 mph.

Visibilities may rapidly drop to one-half to one-quarter mile and
winds may gust up to 40 mph as these squalls move through. They will
only last for 15 to 20 minutes in a given location, but a half-inch
of snow accumulation is also expected.  This will make for very
dangerous driving conditions.

Locations impacted include...
Springfield, Chicopee, Westfield, Holyoke, Amherst, Northampton,
Agawam, West Springfield, Orange, Deerfield, Simsbury, Ludlow,
Gardner, Avon, South Hadley, Easthampton, Longmeadow, Suffield,
Belchertown and Wilbraham.

Drivers need to remain alert. These conditions often lead to
accidents, especially on highways, since road conditions can change
rapidly. Avoid braking suddenly. Consider delaying travel until the
squalls pass.

&&

LAT...LON 4212 7306 4215 7307 4215 7303 4231 7300
      4233 7306 4238 7307 4238 7301 4248 7299
      4257 7287 4257 7193 4181 7287 4183 7294
      4188 7295 4190 7291 4197 7289 4197 7303
      4204 7301 4204 7306 4211 7307
TIME...MOT...LOC 2244Z 270DEG 29KT 4252 7288 4203 7350

FIELD
Special weather statement, Mar 3, 7:03 PM EST, 58 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE Taunton MA
703 PM EST FRI MAR 3 2017

CTZ004-MAZ004-005-011>014-026-RIZ001-040100-
Windham-Northwest Middlesex County-Southern Worcester-Western
Norfolk-Central Middlesex County-Eastern Hampden-Northern
Worcester-Southeast Middlesex-Northwest Providence-
703 PM EST FRI MAR 3 2017

...A LINE OF SNOW SQUALLS WAS MOVING INTO EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS...

At 658 PM EST...a line of snow squalls extending from Shirley
southwestward through Worcester County to near Brimfield. The line
was moving to the east-southeast at 30 mph. It will be affecting the
Boston metro area between 715 pm and 8 pm.

Visibilities will be reduced to one-half to one mile for about a 5
to 10 minute period. Winds will gust to 30 to 40 mph with these
squalls and there will likely be a coating to one-half inch of
accumulation.

Locations impacted include...
Worcester, Newton, Framingham, Waltham, Medford, Arlington,
Leominster, Marlborough, Woburn, Shrewsbury, Natick, Watertown,
Franklin, Lexington, Needham, Milford, Wellesley, Belmont, Burlington
and Westford.

Drivers need to remain alert. These conditions often lead to
accidents, especially on highways, since road conditions can change
rapidly. Avoid braking suddenly. Consider delaying travel until the
squalls pass.

&&

LAT...LON 4244 7113 4185 7170 4210 7223 4263 7163
TIME...MOT...LOC 2358Z 306DEG 24KT 4257 7168 4215 7216

FIELD
Special weather statement, Mar 3, 8:01 PM EST, 0 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE Taunton MA
801 PM EST FRI MAR 3 2017

MAZ007-013-015>022-RIZ001>008-040200-
Eastern Essex-Suffolk-Southern Plymouth-Eastern Norfolk-Western
Plymouth-Barnstable-Eastern Plymouth-Northern Bristol-Southern
Bristol-Western Norfolk-Block Island-Eastern Kent-Newport-Northwest
Providence-Bristol-Washington-Western Kent-Southeast Providence-
801 PM EST FRI MAR 3 2017

...A snow squall WILL AFFECT southern Rhode Island and Southeast
Massachusetts
...

At 801 PM EST...A snow squall was along a line extending from near
Salisbury to near Dedham to near Foster to near East Haddam, and was
moving southeast at 30 mph.

Drivers need to remain alert. These conditions often lead to
accidents, especially on highways, since road conditions can change
rapidly. Avoid braking suddenly. Consider delaying travel until the
squalls pass.

&&

LAT...LON 4167 7179 4243 7098 4225 7088 4226 7088
      4282 7082 4199 7070 4208 7020 4205 7021
      4145 7136 4173 7122 4158 7133 4159 7133
      4163 7135 4166 7135 4163 7133 4172 7134
      4179 7137 4115 7161
TIME...MOT...LOC 0101Z 293DEG 28KT 4285 7088 4223 7115 4177 7169 4149
7238

md

The office that day

Everything else NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 3, 7:03 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementBOXMiddlesex, Worcester57 min
Mar 3, 10:19 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementBOXNorfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk116 min
Mar 4, 3:48 AM ESTWind Chill AdvisoryBOXFranklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Worcester29 hr
Mar 4, 12:50 PM ESTWind AdvisoryBOXBarnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Middlesex, Nantucket and 4 more6 hr
Mar 4, 6:57 PM ESTSmall Craft AdvisoryBOX42 hr

Nearby

Special Weather Statements in Massachusetts, 2017Special Weather Statements in Rhode Island, 2017Every special weather statement in 2017

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.