An historic winter storm brought heavy snow to southern New England with blizzard conditions to much of Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts, beginning during the day on Monday, January 26 and lasting into the early morning hours of Tuesday, January 27. The highest snowfall totals, averaging two to three feet, extended from extreme northeast Connecticut and northwest Rhode Island into much of central and northeast Massachusetts, including greater Boston. Some of the highest totals reported include Hudson, MA (36 inches), Acton, MA (34 inches), Thompson, CT (33.5 inches), and Methuen, MA (31.5 inches). Much of southeast Massachusetts and the rest of Rhode Island received one to two feet of snow. Totals dropped off dramatically west of the Connecticut River Valley where totals of 4 to 8 inches were observed.
The storm was well-forecast, with Blizzard Watches and Winter Storm Watches issued 2 days before the snow began. Low pressure tracked northeast from the Carolinas and strengthened rapidly as it slowly passed southeast of Nantucket on Monday evening, January 26. All of the precipitation fell as snow with this storm. At its peak, snowfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour were common. In Massachusetts, blizzard conditions were officially reported in Marshfield (14 hours), Hyannis (13 hours), Nantucket (11 hours), Boston (9 hours), Chatham (9 hours), Worcester (7 hours), and Beverly (3 hours). In Rhode Island, blizzard conditions were officially reported in Westerly (5 hours), Newport (4 hours), and at T.F. Green State Airport in Warwick (3 hours). Several other locations fell just short of the required criteria (3 consecutive hours of blizzard conditions) including Fitchburg, New Bedford, Falmouth, and Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts and Smithfield in Rhode Island.
Daily snowfall records were set for January 27 in Boston (22.1 inches, previous record 8.8 inches in 2011), Worcester (31.9 inches, previous record 11.0 in 2011), and Providence (16.0 inches, previous record 6.7 inches in 2011). In Worcester, the snowfall total of 34.5 inches was the greatest on record (dating back to 1892), breaking the previous record of 33.0 inches on March 31 to April 1, 1997. In Providence, the total of 19.1 inches was the fourth highest on record (dating back to 1904), while in Boston the total of 24.6 inches was the sixth highest on record (dating back to 1872).
The Blizzard of January 2015 produced very strong winds late Monday into Tuesday near the Massachusetts and Rhode Island coasts where gusts of 50 to 65 mph were common. Gusts reached hurricane force at a few locations in Massachusetts including Nantucket (78 mph), Chatham (75 mph), Humarock (74 mph), and Aquinnah (74 mph).
Significant coastal flooding occurred along the Massachusetts east coast, mainly south of Boston. Due to a north-northeast wind around the time of the early morning high tide, Boston’s north shore was spared to some degree with mostly minor impacts. North and east facing coastlines from Hull to Chatham as well as Nantucket experienced moderate to major coastal flooding with some areas experiencing inundation in excess of 3 feet and pockets of structural damage, especially where sea walls and other protective devices were compromised. Severe erosion was reported along portions of the coastline south of Boston. The Sandwich area was especially hard hit with erosion as a consequence of strong onshore winds by the time of the early morning high tide. Very preliminary estimates indicate that the coastal impact along the eastern Massachusetts coast south of Boston was generally comparable to but in a few locations a little greater than the February 2013 Blizzard. Residents had to be evacuated from neighborhoods in Hull and Scituate.
The governor of Massachusetts declared a travel ban that began on January 27th at midnight and was lifted county-by-county as conditions allowed. Power outages were few (limited mainly to Cape Cod and the Islands) but had a high impact as all power was out on the island of Nantucket. Logan International Airport was closed through 6 am January 28th. A total of 116 cities and towns declared local states of emergency during this storm, activating their Emergency Operations Centers. Most Amtrak, ferry, train, and bus service was suspended for January 27th, prior to the storm. Over 40 shelters opened, serving a total of 450 individuals.
Two fatalities were reported as a result of this storm: a 97 year old man who died while trying to clear a carbon dioxide vent at his home in Yarmouth and a 53 year old man in New Bedford who died while snow blowing his neighbors driveway.
President Obama issued a federal disaster declaration for the eastern parts of Massachusetts for this storm, allowing federal assistance for emergency work and repairs to facilities damaged by the storm.