Surprise Storm Downs Trees, Wipes Out Power in Boston and Beyond

In a perfect encapsulation of Massachusetts weather, the Bay State found itself being pounded with up to a foot of snow just 24 hours after temperatures flirted with 60 degrees.

The ‘surprise’ storm was throttling Massachusetts Friday, knocking out power for tens of thousands and icing roads statewide. Estimated snowfall totals for Boston, initially starting around four inches, are now as high as nine inches, with other areas of the state preparing for a foot.

A winter storm warning was put in effect for Eastern Massachusetts early Friday afternoon until 5 p.m., when the snow started to taper off to the east.

The storm also hammered Long Island, where thousands more were without power as a foot of snow buried the island. As was the case in much of the Northeast, roadways were a mess.

Downed trees wiped out power lines and had some town police departments urging residents to stay inside to avoid falling branches. Cars spun out on highways all around, making for a busy day for emergency services. A 40-mile-per-hour speed limit was imposed on the Massachusetts Turnpike.

Hundreds of flights entering and leaving Logan Airport were delayed or canceled as the wet, heavy snow blanketed Boston.

The temperatures hovered just above freezing Friday, meaning an easier clean-up effort before the evening chill made for icy conditions.

News of a potential storm made its way around Thursday morning, when most of Massachusetts was out enjoying another unseasonably warm February day. Twenty-four hours later, those people got a cold slap of reality.

Photo courtesy of Bill Damon via Flickr.