Forecast Calls for Two-Day Snow Event

Snow to Begin Tuesday Morning, End Wednesday Evening

Updated 2:38PM Tuesday, February 1, 2011

– Allison Goldsberry

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for a two-part snow storm that is expected to begin Tuesday morning and continue through Wednesday night. The storm could bring over a foot of snow along with sleet and freezing rain.

Snow is anticipated to start falling in the Boston area between 5AM and 6AM Tuesday, with four to eight inches accumulated by the evening commute. The snow will taper off on Tuesday night before beginning to fall again Wednesday morning, with an additional four to ten inches possible overnight. Sleet and freezing rain could fall on Wednesday afternoon and most precipitation should be done by Wednesday night.

A snow emergency is in effect in Medford as of 7AM Wednesday until further notice. Snow emergencies mean no parking on the city’s major arteries and parking only on the even side of the street on secondary roads.

This is the fifth snow storm in about a month’s time and the fourth of January alone. This is the third snowiest January on record, with 38.3 inches of snow and counting, as measured at Logan Airport. The average snowfall for January is around eleven inches.

The Medford Public Schools has had four snow days so far, as snow storms have battered the area each week. Students were let out of school early on Tuesday and schools will be closed on Wednesday. Currently, the last day of school is scheduled for Friday, June 24, which takes into account the previous four snow days. Supt. Belson said there are a few more days left in June before other alternatives to make up the missed days would have to be considered, such as using vacation days. With school closed Wednesday, the last day of school is now Monday, June 27.

The city has already spent more money than it had planned on snow removal, with no end yet in sight to this relentless weather pattern. Speaking during the School Committee meeting Monday night, Mayor Michael McGlynn praised the Department of Public Works for working hard in cleaning up the unusually large amount of snow that has fallen.

“At some point these people have to sleep,” said the Mayor.

Mayor McGlynn said the biggest priority in cleaning up after a storm is making sure the streets are wide enough for emergency vehicles. He said the city would like to be able to clear out bus stops and remove some of the enormous snow mounds that have accumulated on street corners, but “it has to stop snowing first.”