Even though it is officially spring, New England experienced wintry weather on Saturday, with over a foot of snow expected in ski areas and rain, wind, and potential flooding in southern areas and along the coast.
Throughout Connecticut, New York City, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, the storm was predicted to mainly bring rain, with some freezing precipitation earlier in the day in western and central Massachusetts before changing to all rain.
The heaviest rain was forecasted for the late afternoon and evening, spreading across Connecticut and western and central Massachusetts from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and across Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The rain could linger over Cape Cod and Nantucket until midnight.
“After a dry night, there will be sunshine,” stated Frank Nocera, lead forecaster for the National Weather Service in Norton, Massachusetts. Despite the sunshine, Sunday was anticipated to be windy with temperatures cooler than usual for late March, he said.
In Maine, the National Weather Service cautioned about hazardous traveling conditions with ice forming inland from the coast, on top of the snow or sleet that had already fallen.
Further inland, forecasters projected 1 to 2 feet of snow in the mountains of western Maine and areas north, including New Hampshire’s White Mountains, according to Maura Casey, a lead forecaster for the weather service based in Gray, Maine.
In the lakes region of New Hampshire, snow totals were expected to be somewhat lower, ranging from 6 inches up to a foot, with sleet and freezing rain mixing in.
“There’s a pretty sharp decline in amounts near the coast and higher amounts in the mountains,” indicated Casey.
Skiing enthusiasts welcomed the snowfall.
At Loon Mountain in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, skiers were eagerly anticipating the 12 to 20 inches of new snow the storm was expected to bring, on top of a foot of snow earlier in the week.
“The storm is fantastic. It has brought many skiers to the mountain today,” said Kevin Bell, vice president of marketing for the resort. “This could be the most snow we’ll see all year. It sets us up for a really good spring. The more snow New England gets, the better for us.”
The Mount Washington Avalanche Center issued an avalanche warning along the White Mountain’s Presidential Range until 7 a.m. Sunday.
“Very dangerous avalanche conditions exist. Natural and human-triggered avalanches large enough to bury people are very likely,” the center said. “Some avalanches will be large enough to snap trees or destroy a house and may run far into areas previously considered safe.”
The storm should completely clear out of the New England region by Sunday morning.
There was a risk of flooding across the region, including in far southern New Hampshire, as per the weather service.
The rain could also lead to flooded rivers in Rhode Island and southeast Massachusetts. The weather service issued flood watches across the tri-state area of Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York.
A flood watch and wind advisory were in place in New York City until 2 a.m. Sunday.
Subway service was affected by flooding, leading to the closure of a section of the Staten Island Railway in both directions. Flooding also caused the closure of part of the Cross Island Parkway in Queens, and police cautioned drivers about standing water on highways throughout the city. The storm delayed the opening of Coney Island’s Luna Park, home to the famous Cyclone and Thunderbolt roller coasters.
Forecasters anticipated potential wind gusts of 45 to 50 mph in New York. A winter storm warning was issued north of Albany, with over a foot of snow anticipated over the Lake George region, the southern Adirondack Mountains, and the southern Green Mountains.
In the West, a winter storm warning remained in effect until Sunday morning for parts of the Sierra Nevada, where up to 4 feet of snow and winds gusting in excess of 80 mph were possible on the highest mountain peaks, the weather service said.
By Saturday morning, about a foot of snow had fallen north of Lake Tahoe, along with roughly a half-foot at Dodge Ridge Mountain Resort north of Yosemite National Park. A 91-mph wind gust was noted at Mammoth Mountain, south of the park near the California-Nevada line.
The National Weather Service’s Sacramento office stated that snow could fall at rates of up to 1 to 2 inches per hour on the Sierra’s west slope west of Lake Tahoe, with up to 2 feet possible at elevations as low as 4,500 feet.
The storm moving through New England arrives at the end of a winter season in some areas of the Northeast, including Boston, that experienced little snow and warmer temperatures.
Severe thunderstorms in South Florida on Friday night led to delayed departures at the Miami International Airport during the busy spring break season, suspended a popular electronic music festival, and disrupted matches at a high-profile tennis tournament.
In Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, crews fighting wildfires this week received help from some wet weather.
“Without a doubt the rain is helpful,” said Cory Swift, a spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Forestry.
Mikey Reynolds, an employee at The Works on Main Street in Brattleboro, Vt., shovels the sidewalk in front of the restaurant during the snow storm on Saturday. (Kristopher Radder /The Brattleboro Reformer via AP)
A snowplow removes the snow on Maple Street in Brattleboro, Vt., while the snow falls on Saturday. (Kristopher Radder /The Brattleboro Reformer via AP)
