Massachusetts

Mass. feeling impact of nor'easter as storm pounds region

In central Massachusetts, rain could mix with and change to snow in some. Winds will crank to 50-60 mph along the coast.

NBC Universal, Inc.

As the nor'easter continues to make its way through Massachusetts, the snow just won't quit in Fitchburg.

However, the roads are a lot better than they were earlier Thursday. Still, a little slush but not bad considering we've had more than 12 hours of snow, sleet, wind and rain.

WATCH ANYTIME FOR FREE

icon

Stream NBC10 Boston news for free, 24/7, wherever you are.

Driving conditions were really rough earlier Thursday morning.

With the temperature hovering right around freezing, Fitchburg keep switching back and forth between snow and sleet this morning.

This is part of the reason why schools in Fitchburg closed, and why nearby Worcester announced at about 8 a.m. that they would go from the initial two-hour delay to closing school for Thursday.

"It was like, 'OK, now the scramble is really on," Emely Ojedra said in Worcester.

Ojedra was not planning to be play Connect-4 with her son on Thursday morning. She, like many parents in Worcester, woke up to snow and news that school was delayed for two hours.

But just two hours before school was set to start, the school district cancelled classes for the day.

"It's unprecedented. It's almost as unprecedented as an April snowstorm," said Pam Suprenant of the YMCA in downtown Worcester.

She and her staff scrambled to get enough employees to come in and run the all-day program while parents go to work.

"I cannot remember a time where they've canceled school so late in the morning," she said.

Southern New Hampshire was hit hard by a nor'easter that left thousands without power.

And to blame was the snow and sleet mix that blanketed Worcester – one that kept coming down all day long.

"It was very icy, very slick. More so than i had thought," said plow driver Santo Lanava

Lanava put in some extra hours to help clear the slushy roads.

"I started sanding last night around midnight, and so I worked all day yesterday, last night and through today," he said.

The April nor'easter brought down more than snow and rain.

"There were probably about half a dozen accidents in the city itself. I know there were a number more on the highways, we had five trees come down, about half a dozen limbs were reported down," said Worcester DPW Commissioner Jay Fink.

The storm also caused Polar Park to shut down and postpone the Worcester Red Sox game – their first 'snow-out.'"

A nor'easter brought coastal flooding, heavy winds and snow across Massachusetts on Thursday. 

People who had to get to work early this morning had a rough go of it, like Debbie Osborne who works at Market Basket in town.

"It was pretty nasty driving in, it was slushy slippery, icy," said Osborne, "This is not April weather. I don't like this weather. My feet are cold, my feet are wet, my hands are freezing, I want to go home."

The drive right now is better than the drive early this morning, but still not great, so give yourself extra time if you have to head out.

In Brookline, the spring storm took down a tree on Allendale Road and forced traffic to divert.

Brookline Police Department

The nor'easter didn't only take down power lines and trees, but it also damaged a roof.

A home on Beach Road in Lynn was seen with part of the roof hanging.

NBC10 Boston

Also in Lynn, coastal flooding was a concern, with massive waves crashing into a barrier.

NBC10 Boston

A high-water vehicle was seen moving the water to avoid flooding.

NBC10 Boston

Over in Revere, utility poles were seen leaning over the roadway on Ocean Avenue.

NBC10 Boston

In Somerville, tree branches were knocked down and a tree caught fire after a wire touched it.

NBC10 Boston
NBC10 Boston

Trees and wires were also down on Forest Street in Wellesley, causing the road to shut down, police said.

Wellesley Police Department

The road will be closed for a good part of the morning, according to police.

North Shore

As they are every storm system, neighbors in Salisbury are on high alert for expected precipitation and the 60 miles per hour wind that will come with it.

In the area of Driftway and Ocean Front Street, which is along the Salisbury Beach Boardwalk, where there is a coastal flood warning until 10 a.m.

First Alert meteorologist Tevin Wooten said in Salisbury, the concern will be minor but some coastal roads could take on a little water because of splash over, given the winds and breaking waves.

This could lead to a tough commute Thursday morning and is something you want to keep in mind.

South Shore

In Scituate, power outages and flooding are top concern for residents.

The rain and wind were strong Thursday morning, which could potentially lead to flooding.

"Parking lot usually gets flooded, but you get more restaurants on Front Street like the Galley, which unfortunately, they got flooded. They got water in the restaurant recently," a business owner told NBC10 Boston Wednesday night.

While business owners set up sand bags to prepare for flooding, those heavy winds threaten to create power outages.

A coastal flooding is in effect until 10 a.m. A high wind alert is also in effect until 2 p.m.

Contact Us