An ocean storm brought significant amounts of snow to Plymouth County, the Cape and Islands. A deep layer of moisture over this region aided in producing the highest snowfall Southern New England had seen to date this winter.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS BOX wrote it up.
An ocean storm brought significant amounts of snow to Plymouth County, the Cape and Islands. A deep layer of moisture over this region aided in producing the highest snowfall Southern New England had seen to date this winter. Average accumulations ran from 2 to 4 inches in southern Bristol County and Boston to 8 to 10 inches in eastern Plymouth County and Cape Cod.
The local office's own words before the first event, 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 the first event at Dec 20, 4:53 AM EST, 7 minutes earlier.
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 heavy snow, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Anywhere from 7 to 12 inches of snow fell in eastern Plymouth County.
Anywhere from 4 to 13 inches of snow fell on the Cape at rates of 1-2 inches per hour at times.
Anywhere from 4 to 8 inches of snow fell in western Plymouth County.
About 7 inches of snow fell on Nantucket.
About 6 inches of snow fell in southern Plymouth County.
Roughly 5 inches of snow fell on Martha's Vineyard.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Massachusetts in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Massachusetts, December 2010
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 273517, 273515, 273520, 273518, 273519, 273516.