'Snow Load' A Main Concern As Nor'easter Reaches Central MA

WORCESTER, MA — Snow load is emerging as a major concern in Central Massachusetts as a powerful nor'easter bears down on the state.

A new National Weather Service forecasting tool called the Winter Storm Severity Index (WSSI) assesses storm impacts apart from plain accumulation. The part of the tool that attempts to predict snow loads is forecasting "major impacts" for a big section of Worcester County north and south of Worcester, and western Middlesex County, including communities likes Marlborough and Westford.

West of Worcester, communities like Gardner and Paxton could see "extreme" impacts from the storm, according to the WSSI tool.

Snow loads could damage power and telecommunications lines, trees and roofs. The nor'easter began as rain Monday afternoon, and will change to snow by Tuesday morning. Snow totals could be more than a foot in portions of the state west of I-495, according to forecasts.

"Expect considerable disruptions to daily life," the index said for communities inside the "major impacts" zone.

The state has seen several snowstorms in a row that have largely been smaller than expected. But state officials are bracing for a significant event.

Gov. Maura Healey on Monday evening ordered all non-emergency executive branch employees to stay home on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency was planning to open its emergency operations center in Framingham at 8 a.m. Tuesday to monitor conditions.

Personnel from state police, MassDOT, the state Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Red Cross and the state Department of Public Utilities will be stationed in the Route 9 bunker to monitor conditions throughout the storm, MEMA said.

"MassDOT is monitoring the forecast and preparing to activate crews today for what is predicted to be a storm with at least 6 inches of snow in western and central portions of the state,” Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver said in a news release. "We advise anyone traveling in the next few days to check weather forecasts to assist in making decisions about their trips, including what time to travel and what route to take."