Heavy Snow in Massachusetts, February 27 to 28, 2023

Name: Heavy Snow in Massachusetts, February 27 to 28, 2023
Start: 2023-02-27T10:00
End: 2023-02-28T11:00
Location: Massachusetts

February 27 to 28, 2023 · NWS BOX · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A potent mid level low/shortwave deamplified as it moved east-southeast from the Ohio Valley late on the 27th and early on the 28th. then moved east, passing well south of southern New England.

Where it happened

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.

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS BOX wrote it up.

A potent mid level low/shortwave deamplified as it moved east-southeast from the Ohio Valley late on the 27th and early on the 28th. At the surface, while the parent low lifted across the Great Lakes, a secondary low developed over DelMarVa in response to height falls from approaching trough...then moved east, passing well south of southern New England. The result was a northwest-to-southeast oriented band of heavy snow from western MA to northern and eastern CT to southern RI. Six to nine inches of snow fell in those regions. There was a very sharp cutoff to the northeast, with only one to two inches falling in northeastern MA and Cape Cod.

What forecasters said that day

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 Feb 27, 9:01 AM EST, 59 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 27, 9:01 AM EST, 59 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 27, 4:08 AM EST, 5 hours 52 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Feb 27, 6:00 AM EST, 4 hours before

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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Southern Worcester

When: February 27, 10:00 AM EST to February 28, 11:00 AM EST
Where: Southern Worcester forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 42.351, -71.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

In southern Worcester County, generally 5 to 6 inches of snow fell, with the highest amounts near the Connecticut border. Some specific totals included: 6.1 inches in Sturbridge; 6.0 inches in Southbridge; 5.5 inches at Buffumville Lake in Charlton; and 5.5 inches in Webster;l and 4.3 inches in Auburn.

Heavy Snow, Western Franklin

When: February 27, 9:00 PM EST to February 28, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Western Franklin forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 42.583, -72.592 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow total ranged from 4 to 8.5 inches in southwestern Franklin County. The highest reported total was 8.5 inches in Ashfield, MA.

Heavy Snow, Western Hampshire

When: February 27, 9:00 PM EST to February 28, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Western Hampshire forecast zone
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 42.340, -72.664 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Six to eight inches of snow fell in western Hampshire County. Some totals included 8.0 inches in Plainfield; 7.5 inches in Chesterfield; 7.5 inches in Westhampton; and 6.2 inches in Williamsburg.

Heavy Snow, Western Hampden

When: February 27, 9:00 PM EST to February 28, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Western Hampden forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 42.135, -72.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall totals ranged from approximately 6 to 8.5 inches in western Hampden County. The highest report -- 8.5 inches -- was from Chester.

Heavy Snow, Eastern Hampshire

When: February 27, 9:00 PM EST to February 28, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Eastern Hampshire forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 42.340, -72.664 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall amounts in eastern Hampshire County were highly variable, with the greatest amounts west of the Connecticut River and the lowest amounts farther east, toward Worcester County. Some totals included: 6.8 inches in Southampton; 6.6 inches in Easthampton; and 6.0 inches in Northampton. Farther east, 4.5 inches was reported in Belchertown and 4.0 inches in Amherst.

Heavy Snow, Eastern Hampden

When: February 27, 9:00 PM EST to February 28, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Eastern Hampden forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.135, -72.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall amounts in eastern Hampden County ranged from 5.0 to 7.5 inches. Some specific totals included: 7.5 inches in West Springfield; 7.1 inches in Chicopee; 7.0 inches in Agawam, Holyoke, and Southwick; 6.7 inches in Westfield; 6.0 inches in Wilbraham; 5.5 inches in Longmeadow; and 5.0 inches in Monson.

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Massachusetts in 2023 Every state in 2023 This day in weather history Warnings in Massachusetts, February 2023

Sources

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1081645, 1081640, 1081641, 1081642, 1081643, 1081644.