WINTER STORM WATCH

Winter Storm Watch

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
349 PM EDT WED MAR 14 2007

...A DEVELOPING NOREASTER WILL BRING THE POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS TO THE REGION LATE THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...

CTZ002-003-MAZ002>004-008>012-026-NHZ011-015-151000-
/O.NEW.KBOX.WS.A.0004.070316T0600Z-070316T2200Z/
HARTFORD CT-TOLLAND CT-WESTERN FRANKLIN MA-EASTERN FRANKLIN MA-
NORTHERN WORCESTER MA-WESTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-WESTERN HAMPDEN MA-
EASTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-EASTERN HAMPDEN MA-SOUTHERN WORCESTER MA-
NORTHERN MIDDLESEX MA-CHESHIRE NH-
WESTERN AND CENTRAL HILLSBOROUGH NH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...HARTFORD...WINDSOR LOCKS...UNION...
VERNON...CHARLEMONT...GREENFIELD...ORANGE...BARRE...FITCHBURG...
CHESTERFIELD...BLANDFORD...AMHERST...NORTHAMPTON...SPRINGFIELD...
MILFORD...WORCESTER...AYER...JAFFREY...KEENE...PETERBOROUGH...
WEARE
349 PM EDT WED MAR 14 2007

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH
FRIDAY AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM
WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH
FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THIS INCLUDES SOUTHWEST NEW HAMPSHIRE...WESTERN AND
CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS...AS WELL AS NORTHERN CONNECTICUT.

THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR 6 OR MORE INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET
ACCUMULATION LATE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY...WITH THE HIGHEST
CONFIDENCE NORTH OF THE MASSACHUSETTS TURNPIKE.

A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL BRING RAIN AND MUCH COLDER TEMPERATURES INTO
THE REGION ON THURSDAY. THE RAIN MAY TEMPORARILY COME TO AN END LATE
THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND INTO PART OF THE NIGHT. THE RAIN MAY MIX WITH
SLEET BEFORE THIS FIRST BATCH OF PRECIPITATION EXITS THE REGION.

THE MAIN FOCUS WILL BE ON A DEVELOPING POWERFUL NOREASTER THAT IS
EXPECTED TO TRACK UP THE NEW ENGLAND COAST FRIDAY INTO EARLY SATURDAY.
SNOW WILL DEVELOP TOWARD DAYBREAK ON FRIDAY FROM SOUTH TO NORTH. THE
MORNING RUSH HOUR LOOKS TO BE MESSY...PARTICULARLY ALONG AND SOUTH
OF THE MASSACHUSETTS TURNPIKE. THE PRECIPITATION MAY HOLD OFF UNTIL
JUST AFTER DAYBREAK ACROSS FAR NORTHERN MASSACHUSETTS AND SOUTHERN
NEW HAMPSHIRE. REGARDLESS...SNOW MAY FALL HEAVILY AT TIMES FRIDAY
MORNING WHICH COULD BE MIXED WITH SLEET SOUTH OF THE MASSACHUSETTS
TURNPIKE.

AT THIS TIME...THE TRACK OF THE SYSTEM WILL PROBABLY ALLOW THE SNOW
TO CHANGE TO SLEET FRIDAY AFTERNOON OR NIGHT.  THIS COULD HAPPEN
EARLIER SOUTH OF THE MASSACHUSETTS TURNPIKE. HOWEVER...THE POTENTIAL FOR
6 OR MORE INCHES OF SNOW EXISTS BEFORE THE CHANGE OVER TO SLEET AND
POSSIBLY EVEN SOME FREEZING RAIN LATE FRIDAY. THE HIGHEST CONFIDENCE FOR
6 INCHES OR MORE OF SNOW IS TO THE NORTH OF THE MASSACHUSETTS
TURNPIKE...WHERE A LONGER PERIOD OF SNOW IS EXPECTED BEFORE THE
CHANGE OVER TO SLEET.

A WINTER STORM WATCH IS ISSUED FOR THE POTENTIAL OF ACCUMULATING
SNOW OF 6 OR MORE INCHES IN A 12 HOUR PERIOD OR 8 OR MORE INCHES
IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD. ANYONE TRAVELING IN THE NEXT 24 TO 36 HOURS
SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO MODIFY TRAVEL
PLANS SHOULD WINTER WEATHER DEVELOP.

$$