15 years ago the Blizzard of 2005 best birthday gift I ever got! Really what got me hooked into the weather!
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Taunton MA
846 AM EST Sun Jan 23 2005
The blizzard of 2005 is now in progress across parts of coastal Southern New England, as those in Massachusetts and Rhode Island endure a storm comparable to the blizzard of 78.
This storm is now blasting Eastern Massachusetts, northeast Connecticut and Rhode Island in all its fury with whiteout conditions, temperatures plummeting into the single numbers and teens, northeast to north winds of 50 to 70 mph creating drifts to at least 6 feet, in exposed areas.
Travel is not recommended until sometime late today or tomorrow, to give crews which in some cases May have stopped clearing roads for safety reasons, an opportunity to clear roads later today when the storm starts moving away.
The storm at 8 AM was still located about 50 miles east southeast of Nantucket and will end up dumping about 16 to 24 inches of snow in the Connecticut River Valley, 20 to 30 inches from Manchester and Nashua New Hampshire through Worcester and Rhode Island. The jackpot will be Eastern Massachusetts where 28 to 38 inch amounts will be common.
Nantucket Will end up with less snow because of its warmer conditions and closer proximity to the storm center but blizzard conditions will arrive there this morning.
This is likely to be a record setting snowstorm in Boston when comparing against data, dating back to 1892. For Providence this should be a top 3 snow event. The 7 AM reports of 17.8 inches at providences TF Green airport and 19.8 inches at Bostons Logan airport makes this the 6th worst snowstorm in Southeastern New England Interstate 95 history dating back to at least 1905, and heading for at least top 3 ranking by days end.
Blizzard or near blizzard conditions will occur along the coast and high terrain this morning and then gradually recede to only the immediate coast during the afternoon.
This is a potentially life threatening situation for those who venture out during the height of the storm this morning.
Again, travel is not recommended until late today.
If you leave the safety of being indoors, you are putting your life at risk.