Blizzard Blasts East Greenwich

By Monday morning, the snow was tapering off and all that was left of what will likely be the last blizzard of 2010 was giant piles of it everywhere and a lot of shoveling to do.

Weather experts predict the storm will clear out for good this afternoon, and the sun is expected to be shining by the end of the day. In the meantime, somewhere between 6 and 12 inches of snow reportedly fell on East Greenwich Sunday, and the town will likely spend all day digging itself out. A blizzard warning is still in effect until noon today.

Most schools and services have been canceled for Monday and a town-wide parking ban is still in effect.

Town employees worked through the night to keep the roads clear. Carlos Figueroa, who works for the Parks and Recreation Department, will have worked 24 hours straight by 11 a.m. today. By early this morning, he was on his second plow truck, as the first had transmission issues and needed to be pulled out of a jam with chains.

"I have to catch up on my sleep tonight," he said, as he took a short break from plowing a reporter's street early this morning.

Editor's note: Check East Greenwich Patch later this morning and throughout the day for the latest and for more pictures from the blizzard. 

Sunday, 1:34pm — With between 12 and 16-inches of snow expected to fall between Sunday and Monday afternoon and a blizzard warning in effect, East Greenwich readied as  the first winter snowstorm of the season hits Rhode Island this afternoon.

The local Emergency Management Agency has been activated and Police Officers on duty said they had responded already to a few cars that had slipped off the road, but credited the town with getting plows out early to sand the roads.

"It's been pretty calm so far," said Officer Paul Nahrgang. "Public Works has done a good job keeping on top the roads."

A parking ban has been issued throughout the town and will remain in effect at least through Monday afternoon, according to the East Greenwich Police Department.

At Salks True Value Hardware Store on Frenchtown Road, the action occurred earlier in the day.

"As soon as we opened, people were looking for shovels and rock salt," said Taylor Carroll, a 17-year-old senior at East Greenwich High School who works there. "We're never that busy at 9 a.m."

She said they sold about 20 shovels Sunday morning, when usually they may sell three or four all day. Gloves and hats were also a popular buy, Carroll said.

"People don't realize how cold it is outside until they get out there and shovel," she said.

Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency Director J. David Smith is asking all Rhode Island residents to stay off the roads after 4 p.m., according to a release sent out this morning. Driving conditions will be "near impossible" due to high winds and rapid accumulation of snow, he said.

The storm began from intensifying low pressure off the North Carolina coast this morning and will strengthen into a major storm just off the coast of Nantucket, MA and Cape Cod on Monday morning.

Light snow started just before noon and is expected to become heavy by Sunday evening. Throughout the night, heavy snow will fall, with two to four inches per hour likely at times.