National Weather Service ups snowfall forecast, more than a foot expected in parts of R.I.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE said parts of Rhode Island could see up to 18 inches of snow today. / COURTESY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE said parts of Rhode Island could see up to 18 inches of snow today. / COURTESY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

(With updates throughout the day)
PROVIDENCE – The National Weather Service said a blizzard warning is in effect until 8 p.m. in Southeastern Providence County and Eastern Massachusetts.

“A blizzard warning is issued when sustained winds or frequent gusts over 35 mph are expected with considerable falling and/or blowing snow. Visibilities will become poor with whiteout conditions at times. Those venturing outdoors may become lost or disoriented. So persons in the warning area are strongly advised to stay indoors,” the National Weather Service posted at 1:24 p.m.

The National Weather Service increased its forecast for snow on Thursday to between 12 and 18 inches in Rhode Island.

While it was raining this morning, that rain soon turned to snow.

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Central and Northern Rhode Island are expected to receive up to 18 inches, while Southern Rhode Island could see a foot of snow, National Weather Service meteorologist Alan Dunham said.

The National Weather Service expanded its blizzard warning to include all of Eastern Massachusetts and parts of Rhode Island and Connecticut.

He said snow is expected to fall at a rate of 2-3 inches an hour, and if “thunder snow” occurs, which is snow during a thunderstorm, that will escalate to 4 inches an hour. Parts of Connecticut already experienced thunder snow, he said.

Thunder snow was reported in Rhode Island in late morning and early afternoon.

The storm is expected to end between 7 and 9 p.m., Dunham said. The heaviest snow is expected to hit this afternoon.

Hazardous travel is expected, and wind gusts are expected to reach up to 50 mph.
Dunham said total snowfall this season, recorded at T.F. Green Airport, is 21.5 inches, “which is fairly close to even” for this time of year.

National Grid is reporting 158 power outages in Rhode Island, affecting more than 12,000 customers, as of noon Thursday. Outages are in Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence and Washington counties. Power should be restored by 4:30 p.m., according to the utility.

And while the mercury climbed on Wednesday to 57 degrees at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick – springlike weather for February – it wasn’t a record. Dunham said the record – 60 degrees – was set in 1933. Ironically, the record low, 9 below zero, was set a year later, in 1934.

Schools canceled classes in advance of the storm. A list of closings, as well as parking bans, can be found HERE.

T.F. Green Airport is showing flight cancellations on its website, and advising travelers to contact their airline, and the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority said it will email disruption notices to travelers who sign up for electronic news updates. RIPTA also is releasing information on its Twitter feed, Facebook page and website. RIPTA tweeted at 12:45 p.m. that it will suspend service at 5 p.m. and will close the Kennedy Plaza station. Earlier, more than a dozen regular routes were detoured and stops were suspended due to snow conditions.

FLEX Service will be suspended as of 2 p.m. The Ride Program will suspend its services as of 6 p.m.

Service will resume on Friday morning, as road conditions allow, RIPTA said, in a post on its website. Reservations for both FLEX and Ride services will resume on Friday.

The R.I. Judiciary is closed, and Gov. Gina M. Raimondo tweeted Wednesday that state offices will be closed for nonessential personnel on Thursday. She advises residents to follow the R.I. Emergency Management Agency on Twitter, @RhodeIslandEMA for updates.

All lanes of Interstate 95 were open as of 5 p.m., after numerous traffic-related incidents forced the closure of the southbound lanes between exits 2 and 3, between Richmond and Hopkinton, and approaching exit 7. Tractor-trailer trucks became stuck and were blocking the road, state police said.

State police are still advising motorists to stay off the roads.

State police said more than 70 vehicles went off the roads as a result of the dangerous conditions. No major injuries have been reported.

Meanwhile, Dunham said snow and rain is forecast through Sunday.

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency said some areas of Massachusetts could receive up to 20 inches of snow.

Staff writer Mary MacDonald contributed to this report.

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