Update on the Coastal Storm
Thursday, March 1, 2018 at 01:47PM
Monsoon Martin

Hi!

The forecast models have shifted a bit, so I need to adjust my forecast accordingly.

First, the winds are going to be more intense than I said in the previous forecast.  Sustained winds above 30mph by Friday afternoon, with gusts as high as 60mph!  That's tropical storm strength, tiptoeing toward category 1 hurricane strength.

So you'll want to bring in your garbage cans, bins, garden accoutrements -- anything that can become a projectile in high winds.

The second change is the start time for the snowfall - heavy, wet snow will start mixing in around 1 or 2pm.  Accumulations will be negligible around here (an inch or two at most) and most paved surfaces will just be wet.  BUT - and in the immortal words of P. W. Herman, "Everyone I know has a big 'but'" - the snow could be heavy at times during Friday afternoon, and when this happens, roadways can become covered and slippery quite rapidly.

Add the high winds and we're talking about near-blizzard conditions.

I would expect to see some power outages from this beast.

I am also adding a school closing meter for this storm:

Chance of cancellation Friday, 2.31%

Chance of early dismissal Friday, 27.92%

Stay tuned for updates and be sure to report road conditions, outages, and whatnot to me on the email.

Monsoon

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