Heavy Snow and Strong Wind in Massachusetts, April 1, 1997

A low pressure system which formed off the New Jersey coast during the early morning hours of March 31st intensified rapidly as it moved to a position 60 miles south of Newport, Rhode Island. This system retreated to the south during the early morning hours of April 1st, pulling in cold air from the north. The center then moved slowly eastward. Heavy snow and strong winds produced blizzard or near-blizzard conditions across most of Massachusetts, with the exception of the Islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. Northeast winds gusting to 30 to 50 mph were reported. Snowfall totals of 20 to 30 inches were common from a Plymouth to Taunton line northwestward to the Berkshires. Maximum totals of more than 30 inches were reported in southeast Worcester County, where Milford had a phenomenal total of 36 inches. The storm produced the greatest snowfall on record for any storm at Worcester Municipal Airport, with a total of 33 inches. It was the third greatest snowfall on record at Boston with an accumulation of 25.4 inches. The Blue Hill Observatory in Milton recorded 29 inches in 24 hours, establishing an all-time record and the storm total there of 30 inches made it the third greatest snowstorm on record. Two to five inches of liquid equivalent precipitation made this snowfall extremely heavy and difficult to remove. The weight of the snow resulted in severe damage to trees and power lines and up to 750,000 electric customers lost power statewide during the height of the storm in the early morning hours of April 1st. Whole towns were without power for up to three days after the storm. More then 100 power crews were brought in from states outside of New England to help restore power. The governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts declared a state of emergency, The City of Boston, which recorded 25.4 inches of snow, was paralyzed for two days and the National Guard was called in to help with snow removal. Boston's Logan International Airport was closed for one day. A porch roof collapsed under the weight of the heavy snow in the Dorchester section of Boston, injuring one person. Several roofs collapsed in communities south of Boston, including the roof of a warehouse in Randolph, where damage was estimated at $20,000. A roof collapse was reported at an automobile dealership in Norwell. Ten greenhouses buckled under the weight of the snow in Randolph. At least four plastic, inflatable domes covering indoor tennis courts in Boston collapsed under the weight of the heavy snow. Dozens more were damaged across the state. Hundreds of cars and trailer trucks were abandoned on state highways, making plowing operations very difficult. More than 40 trailer trucks were stuck on Route 128 between Newton and Canton. The cost of snow removal was estimated to cost the state highway department between $6,000,000 and $7,000,000.On Cape Cod, snowfall ranged from about 15 inches near the Cape Cod Canal to about 6 inches of slushy accumulation at Chatham. Nantucket Island received less than 1 inch of snow. Minor coastal flooding was reported at Marshfield and Revere.