City Of ​Nashua Declares Snow Emergency

NASHUA, NH — The city of Nashua has declared a snow emergency starting at 10 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, until 6 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 5, according to a press statement. This snow emergency may be adjusted if weather conditions change.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Nashua from 7:00 am Thursday, January 4th to 4:00 am Friday, January 5th. Heavy snow expected - including during the evening commute. Plan on difficult travel conditions. Total snow accumulations of 8 to 11 inches with localized amounts up to 14 inches are expected. Wind gusts as high as 40mph will cause patchy blowing and drifting snow.

Public Works

It is very challenging to keep streets clear with heavy snow conditions. Forecasts are calling for deteriorating conditions Thursday evening. This storm is likely to contain light blowing snow, which is extremely difficult to keep off of the roadways. If you don’t need to be out on the roads, please stay off them for your safety and to make room for equipment working to keep roads open. We are recommending residents limit travel if possible. Give yourself extra time if you need to be on the road. Residents should only expect primary routes to be cleared initially during this storm. Residential side streets will not be plowed immediately. Regularly plowed sidewalks will not be plowed until crews have a chance to clear primary and residential streets.

During the snow emergency:
● No on-street or municipal surface lot parking is allowed.
● FREE parking will be available in the Elm Street and High Street garages.
● The overnight parking program is suspended.

During the hours of the snow emergency, the City of Nashua will be towing vehicles remaining on the street and in the municipal surface lots. Owners of towed vehicles may retrieve their cars at the Solid Waste Department (Landfill) and must pay a fine of $315 (cash, money order or credit card only). Please note that cars may be picked up at the landfill scale house at all times during the snow emergency. After the snow emergency has been lifted, cars may be picked up between the hours of 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Depending on the duration of the storm and snowfall amounts, crews may need extensive time once the storm ends to clean all street and regularly plowed sidewalk routes. Please call the Public Works snow line at 589-4795 for up to date information. Thank you for your patience and cooperation as our dedicated Public Works crews work around the clock to clear snow during this snow event.

Solid Waste

Trash and Recycling collections will continue on their delayed holiday schedule this week. The Four Hills Landfill / Nashua Recycling Center will be open. Visit nashuanh.gov or call 603-589-3410 for more information about the solid waste schedule.

Due to the storm, Friday's trash & recycling carts should not be put out until Friday morning, no later than 6:45am. Please do not place them out overnight.

City Hall

City Hall and other City offices will be open normal hours starting at 8am on Thursday, January 4th. Please check nashuanh.gov or the city information line (603-589-3000) for any changes in schedule.

Motor Vehicle Registration will be closing early Thursday, January 4th, at 5:00pm.

Schools

Please stay tuned to the Nashua School District website at nashua.edu or follow Nashua Schools on Twitter @NASHUASCHOOLS for potential cancellations in the school schedule.

Transit

Nashua Transit System is planning to run service on Jan. 4. Please stay tuned to ridebigblue.com and CodeRED for Nashua Transit System service disruptions. If you have any questions about transit service, please call 603-880-0100.

Emergency Preparedness

City officials are urging citizens to prepare for the storm now. The city of Nashua will keep all informed via nashuanh.gov and the Nashua Emergency Info Line at 603-589-3456.

The city of Nashua has tips on what citizens can do to be prepared for this storm.

• Only use 911 for emergencies! If you are calling about the storm but do NOT have an emergency, contact the Nashua Emergency Info Line at 603-589-3456.
• Stay off the road - plow crews and emergency vehicles will be working to clear the roads and respond to emergencies.
• Stay informed- Information will be regularly posted on the city’s website at nashuanh.gov/emergency and on the City social media accounts: on Twitter @nashuaoem and www.facebook.com/nashuaoem.
• Sign up for the Nashua CodeRED notification system for immediate updates on the storm on your landline phone, cell phone, and/or email. You can sign up at nashuanh.gov/codered
• Report ALL power outages - in the event power is lost or a power line falls contact Eversource at 1-800-662-7764. Each household must report their own power outage!
• Clear the streets - Remove basketball hoops, trash cans, and any other snow removal obstructions from city streets.
• Clear your nearby fire hydrant - during a fire, every second counts. Clear your nearby fire hydrant of snow to ensure the Fire Department can access it during an emergency
• Clear your emergency access gates - If you have an emergency access gate that provides access to your facility or neighborhood, please be sure that snow is not piled in front of it. This ensures emergency vehicles can still access your neighborhood.
• Clear storm drains - While plowing or shoveling snow, please be sure remove snow over storm drains. This will help prevent significant street flooding as the snow melts.

Preparedness is everyone’s responsibility. Take the time now to ensure that you and your family will be safe during this winter storm.

Submitted by Lauren Byers. Image via state of New Hampshire.