Alert archive / Massachusetts / Winter Storm Warnings in 2021

Winter Storm Warning 1, NWS Boston/Norton, MA

January 16, 2021Franklin County, Massachusetts

NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this winter storm warning at Jan 16, 2021, 7:50 AM EST for Franklin County, Massachusetts. It was in force for 4 hr. 12 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jan 16, 2021, 7:50 AM EST (12:50 UTC)
Expired
Jan 16, 2021, 11:25 AM EST
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Boston/Norton, MA

County Franklin County, MA

The radar

The Albany radar (KENX), 121 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 12:54 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jan 16, 8:01 AM ESTSNOW 7Heath, MA
Jan 16, 8:01 AM ESTSNOW 7Heath, MA
Jan 16, 8:09 AM ESTHEAVY SNOW 0Colrain, MAPOWER LINES DOWN ON ADAMSVILLE ROAD
Jan 16, 8:09 AM ESTHEAVY SNOW 0Colrain, MAPOWER LINES DOWN ON ADAMSVILLE ROAD DUE TO HEAVY WET SNOW
Jan 16, 8:47 AM ESTSNOW 8.5Ashfield, MA
Jan 16, 8:49 AM ESTSNOW 10East Hawley, MA
Jan 16, 8:55 AM ESTHEAVY SNOW 0Heath, MATREE DOWN ON WIRES DUE TO WET HEAVY SNOW
Jan 16, 9:25 AM ESTHEAVY SNOW 0Shelburne, MAWIRES DOWN ON RTE 2 DUE TO HEAVY WET SNOW
Jan 16, 9:34 AM ESTSNOW 4Shelburne Falls, MA
Jan 16, 9:58 AM ESTHEAVY SNOW 0Heath, MATREE DOWN BLOCKING BURNT HILL ROAD DUE TO WET HEAVY SNOW
Jan 16, 9:58 AM ESTSNOW 8.3Heath, MA
Jan 16, 10:18 AM ESTHEAVY SNOW 0Charlemont, MATREE AND WIRES DOWN ON WEST OXBOW ROAD DUE TO HEAVY WET SNOW

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Albany, NY (KALY), launched 12:00Z, 0.8 hours before the alert went out and 102 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, Albany, NY at 12:00Z on 2021-01-16Temperature 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°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Albany, NY at 12:00Z on 2021-01-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 432 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
712 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
56 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
432 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
531 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

511 
WWUS41 KBOX 161250
WSWBOX

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
750 AM EST Sat Jan 16 2021

MAZ002-161700-
/O.UPG.KBOX.WW.Y.0002.000000T0000Z-210116T1400Z/
/O.NEW.KBOX.WS.W.0001.210116T1250Z-210116T1700Z/
Western Franklin MA-
Including the city of Charlemont
750 AM EST Sat Jan 16 2021

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON EST TODAY...

* WHAT...Heavy wet snow changing to rain this morning. Total snow
  accumulations of 4 to 9 inches. Highest amounts at elevations
  above 1500 feet. 

* WHERE...Western Franklin MA County.

* WHEN...Until noon EST today.

* IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Heavy wet snow may result in scattered
  power outages in the highest terrain.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in
your vehicle in case of an emergency. 

&&

$$

MAZ008-161400-
/O.CON.KBOX.WW.Y.0002.000000T0000Z-210116T1400Z/
Western Hampshire MA-
Including the city of Chesterfield
750 AM EST Sat Jan 16 2021

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM EST THIS
MORNING...

* WHAT...Wet snow changing to rain. Total snow accumulations of 2
  to 6 inches.

* WHERE...Western Hampshire MA County.

* WHEN...Until 9 AM EST this morning.

* IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. A few downed tree
  limbs possible from the heavy wet snow.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Slow down and use caution while traveling. 

&&

$$

Frank
2 follow-up statements
865 
WWUS41 KBOX 161342
WSWBOX

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
842 AM EST Sat Jan 16 2021

MAZ002-161700-
/O.CON.KBOX.WS.W.0001.000000T0000Z-210116T1700Z/
Western Franklin MA-
Including the city of Charlemont
842 AM EST Sat Jan 16 2021

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON EST TODAY...

* WHAT...Heavy wet snow ending this morning. Total accumulations 
  of 5 to 10 inches with the highest amounts above 1500 feet.

* WHERE...Western Franklin MA County.

* WHEN...Until noon EST today.

* IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Heavy wet snow will be ending this morning.
  However, scattered power outages and some downed tree limbs may
  continue as a result of the wet snow.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in
your vehicle in case of an emergency. 

&&

$$

MAZ008-161600-
/O.EXT.KBOX.WW.Y.0002.000000T0000Z-210116T1600Z/
Western Hampshire MA-
Including the city of Chesterfield
842 AM EST Sat Jan 16 2021

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM EST THIS
MORNING...

* WHAT...Wet snow and rain will be ending this morning. Total snow
  accumulations of 3 to 8 inches with the greatest amounts above 
  1500 feet.

* WHERE...Western Hampshire MA County.

* WHEN...Until 11 AM EST this morning.

* IMPACTS...Wet snow and rain will be ending this morning.
  However, scattered power outages are possible above 1500 feet
  from where the heavy wet snow occurred.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Slow down and use caution while traveling. 

&&

$$

Frank
975 
WWUS41 KBOX 161625
WSWBOX

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
1125 AM EST Sat Jan 16 2021

MAZ002-161730-
/O.CAN.KBOX.WS.W.0001.000000T0000Z-210116T1700Z/
Western Franklin MA-
Including the city of Charlemont
1125 AM EST Sat Jan 16 2021

...WINTER STORM WARNING IS CANCELLED...

The heavy snow has come to an end, therefore the Winter Storm
Warning has been cancelled. Scattered rain and snow showers remain
possible this afternoon, but any additional accumulations will be
less than 1 inch and confined to the highest terrain.

$$

MAZ008-161730-
/O.EXP.KBOX.WW.Y.0002.000000T0000Z-210116T1600Z/
Western Hampshire MA-
Including the city of Chesterfield
1125 AM EST Sat Jan 16 2021

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY HAS EXPIRED...

The snow has come to an end and the winter weather advisory has
been allowed to expire. Scattered rain and snow showers remain 
possible this afternoon, but any additional accumulations will be 
less than 1 inch and confined to the highest terrain.

$$

Frank

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 16, 3:03 AM ESTWind AdvisoryBOXBarnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Middlesex, Nantucket and 3 more9 hr
Jan 16, 1:08 PM ESTGale WarningBOX35 hr

Nearby

Winter Storm Warnings in Massachusetts, 2021Every winter storm warning in 2021

Sources

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