Marblehead Battered By Surprisingly Severe Snowstorm

Marblehead, along with the rest of the North Shore, was caught flat-footed by the severity of the snowstorm that slammed the region Friday morning.

Storm predictions on Thursday had called for just a few inches of snow at best, certainly not the 14 inches that blanketed the town Friday morning.

The snow, combined with strong winds and powerful storm surges, left a mess on town roads and even temporarily closed the causeway to Marblehead Neck.

School in Marblehead was initially delayed by two hours -- the decision was made just before 6 a.m., but then canceled completely just after 9 a.m. as conditions worsened.

Flooding during high tides on Thursday had also led to some road closures, including the causeway.

According to spotter reports sent in to the National Weather Service, Atlantic Avenue at the Swampscott line was closed around 7:30 a.m. due to coastal flooding and rocks and debris in the roadway.

Devereux Beach and the causeway were closed around 8:30 a.m., as water covered the beach area and extended into the roadway.

The water receded with the tide and plow trucks looked to have the roads in much better shape by the afternoon.

Public Works Director David Donahue was not available for comment Friday.

National Weather Service spotters said the causeway to Marblehead Neck was again closed shortly before 8 p.m. due to another round of coastal flooding.