Sunday, February 10, 2013
Our local weather specialist says our "next bit of winter weather" is coming Monday morning.
It ain't over yet. Jim Arnold, weather specialist with Shrewsbury Emergency Management, said it looks like our extra bit of winter weather is arriving Monday morning in the form of snow, sleet, freezing rain .... and then finally rain. "A warm front approaching from the west and southwest late tonight and tomorrow will bring a wintry mix of precipitation beginning around dawn Monday and continuing throughout much of the day," said Arnold. The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory, corroborating Arnold's predictions with a forecast that also calls for freezing rain and sleet. The advisory is in effect from 6-11 a.m. on Monday for Southwest Massachusetts. "Once again, we have cold air well established and it will take…
Emergency responders report no major issues caused by snow or winds.
Hopkinton may have had wind gusts stronger than 40 miles per hour and snow accumulation above two feet, but that didn't cause any problems according to emergency responders. "We haven't had any surprised and a very few amount of emergency responses," Hopkinton Fire Lieutenant William Miller said at 5 p.m. Saturday. According to Miller, the biggest issue came in the morning when several calls came in needing a response for carbon monoxide. "We had two calls for carbon monoxide this morning, but even that wasn't a big issue," he said.
Browse your neighbors' photos, and add your own.
When the snow started falling Friday, we began collecting photos from the storm. Let's build on our gallery of photos that show how the blizzard impacted Holliston and Hopkinton! If you snapped some pictures or shot some videos, share them here. Just click the "upload photos and videos," button above.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Do you agree with the governor's decision or was it too drastic?
All non-emergency drivers were ordered off the roads on Friday when Gov. Deval Patrick issued an executive order banning travel during the blizzard. (Editor's note: The ban is lifted statewide as of 4 p.m. Saturday.) Patrick's executive order is being praised by some and bashed by others, reported The Boston Globe. While former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, who was in charge of the commonwealth during the Blizzard of ’78, praised the governor’s move, others called the order “tyrannical” and say the strict ban and hefty fines were too much, according to The Globe. Those caught violating the ban would face up to a year in jail and a $500 fine. What do you think? Do you agree with the governor’s decision or do you think the travel ban …
Bookmark this page for local updates as we make our way through the storm.
Editor's note: Holliston and Hopkinton-centric updates on the blizzard (cancellations, emergency notices) will be posted here. Sautrday: 1:00 p.m.: MEMA has announced that the driving ban will be lifted at 4 p.m. 11:30 a.m.: The travel ban remains in effect across the state. Several area departments stopped drivers for violating the ban overnight. 11:00 a.m.: NWS is reporting that Framingham receieved 30 inches of snow so far. Hopkinton and Holliston are expected to have similar amounts. Show us how much snow you have. Friday: 11:30 p.m.: The latest National Weather Service measurement has Framingham at 14 inches of snow (measured at 10:51). They don't have numbers for Hopkinton or Holliston. 8:00 p.m.: The latest update is that the storm…
Find the latest updates about the blizzard and how it's impacting Holliston and Hopkinton.
Thanks to the blizzard, Holliston-Hopkinton is expecting up to 30 inches of snow this weekend. See how many inches have fallen in your area with the LIVE map below.
The map above, provided by the National Weather Service, shows snowfall in the past 24 hours. It is updated every 6 hours. This is not a map showing overall snow depth: It only tracks the amount of snow that has fallen in the past day. The map is centered around the red marker, which is in the middle of Holliston-Hopkinton Patch's coverage area.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Let's measure the blizzard through lawn ornaments!
We at Patch like to have fun – even when we’re covering a story as big as the Blizzard of ’13! So when the biggest storm in years (potentially in the history of Boston weather) is headed our way, we get into battle mode – and even get a little silly. That’s what this idea is about – and we want you to take part too! A fun way we want to track the storm across Massachusetts is through lawn ornaments. They serve a purpose in the spring and summer, but often feel left out in the cold of winter. Not anymore. We are posting photos of lawn ornaments throughout Massachusetts to highlight snowfall across the commonwealth during and after the storm. All you need to do is hit the Upload Photos and Videos button and upload your own. If we’re stuck at…
Governor Deval Patrick has declared a State of Emergency, but what does that mean?
Governor Deval Patrick declared a state of emergency today banning car travel after 4 p.m. According to information from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, a state of emergency can involve different measures and does not always affect travel or private businesses. There may be a request for drivers to stay off the roads and for businesses to change their hours, but the governor may also order roads to be closed to non-emergency traffic. There has not been an ordered ban on travel since the Blizzard of '78. Violators could be fined up to $500 and be sentenced to a year in jail, although Governor Patrick says the main purpose is to get non-essential people off the roads. The state of emergency does not mean the state will …
Share your pictures in our snowstorm gallery.
Some people are taking to the ice, others are staying indoors and keeping snuggled up with the TV. Show us your pictures of what you're doing for the snow day.
JT
3:40 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
People should use their common sense in situations like this--but there are always some who won't and will endanger others in the process. The ban was good in that respect, and the $500 fine certainly should have made folks think twice if they were hesitating over driving or staying home for no particular reason. However, the threatened jail time was absurd--and enough's been said about that here… more ›