Given that the National Weather Service is predicting a powerful winter storm with blizzard conditions for the North Shore Friday night and continuing throughout Saturday, communities started to announce parking bans and closures on Friday morning.
According to the National Weather Service, 18 to 24 inches, with up to 30 inches of snow is predicted to fall; the heavy snowfall will be accompanied by winds gusting up to 70 mph. A blizzard warning will remain in effect from midnight Saturday to 5 a.m. Sunday for portions of eastern, northeastern and southeastern Massachusetts.
The National Weather Service cautions that travel during this storm could be extremely difficult to impossible, and urges residents to restrict their travel to emergencies only. If residents must travel, they are urged to bring a winter-survival kit with them and if they become stranded, they are advised to stay with their vehicle.
According to National Grid, the current forecast indicates that the storm could damage the electrical system, with significant snowfall and high winds creating tree damage and possible power outages. Coastal flooding is anticipated in eastern Massachusetts.
“We’ve been tracking the storm for several days and making the necessary precautions for a safe and efficient response to address its impact,” said Michael McCallan, vice president of New England electric operations, maintenance and construction for National Grid. “As part of our emergency response plan, we have secured additional overhead and forestry crews and will be coordinating our joint response with state agencies across Massachusetts and Rhode Island.”
National Grid customers should report outages at www.nationalgridus.com or call 1-800-465-1212. They can use their mobile device to track outages and storm-related safety tips through the company’s mobile site at www.ngrid.com/mobile. Outages and estimated restoration times can be tracked at www.nationalgridus.com/outage-central.
LYNN
In Lynn, a snow-emergency parking ban goes into effect at 8 p.m. Friday. Residents can begin to move their vehicles to designated city parking lots at 6 p.m.
The city’s snow-emergency policy and designated parking lots can be found at this link: http://www.lynnma.gov/
No vehicles are allowed to be parked on a public street, sidewalk, or at the end of dead-end streets. Violators may face a $170 tow fee (payable in cash only), $150 ticket, and a $35-a-day storage fee. The tow lot entrance is on Centre Street behind the Western Avenue fire station.
The Lynn Public Library will be closed on Saturday. Also closed on Saturday will be the “Stop the Spread” Project Beacon COVID-19 testing site located at the ferry terminal at 398 Blossom St., Lynn Community Health Center testing and vaccine appointments, and vaccine appointments at North Shore Community College.
The city is cautioning residents that the heavy snowfall, high winds and flooding could cause power outages. Residents should be prepared with flashlights and extra batteries and by keeping their mobile devices fully charged so they can stay connected in the event of an outage.
Residents are advised to check the city website for information on when the parking ban will end.
LYNNFIELD
A parking ban will go into effect in Lynnfield at 11 p.m. and extend through Sunday morning.
The town is anticipating 18 to 24 inches of snow with high winds. The Department of Public Works is fully staffed, the town said, and will have 40-plus pieces of equipment available for snow removal on a rotating basis throughout the storm.
To help with snow removal efforts, the town asks that residents stay home if they do not need to go anywhere this weekend. Residents are asked to refrain from parking on the street during the snow emergency.
“Due to the length of this storm and the anticipated high winds, we expect that snow-removal operations will continue well into Sunday evening,” reads a post on the town website. “We ask for your patience during this time. If you have an emergency during this event, please call 911. We thank the residents of Lynnfield for their patience and their cooperation during this storm. Please keep yourself and your neighbors safe.”
MARBLEHEAD
A snow emergency has been declared in Marblehead for both Saturday and Sunday. All cars must be off town streets from 12:01 a.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday.
It is illegal to park any vehicle, including boats and trailers, on any public way during a snow emergency. Violators will be subject to ticketing or towing. If a resident’s vehicle is towed during this parking ban, they are directed to call the Marblehead Police Department’s non-emergency phone line at 781-631-1212 to confirm the location of their vehicle.
The Police Department said all vehicles are towed to the designated town tow lot at the Transfer Station, which is located at 5 Woodfin Terrace. Bill’s Towing should be contacted at 978-744-9454 to make arrangements to release the vehicle. If the vehicle is not claimed from the town lot within 72 hours, it will be towed to Bill’s Auto Clinic at 2 Commercial St. in Salem.
In Marblehead, the depositing of snow or ice, on or against a fire hydrant or on any sidewalk or roadway, is prohibited, the Police Department said.
The Transfer Station will be closed on Saturday. For updates on power outages, residents are directed to contact Marblehead Municipal Light at 781-631-0240.
Residents are advised that the closure of the Causeway is likely during high tides on Saturday and Sunday. The closure typically lasts an hour before and an hour after high tide.
NAHANT
The Town of Nahant has issued a parking ban, which will be in effect from 8 p.m. Friday to 8 p.m. Sunday. All vehicles must be parked off the street during this time.
PEABODY
A citywide emergency parking ban begins at 12 a.m. Saturday and will remain in effect until further notice.
Residents are advised to remove all parked cars from public roads to allow for safe and effective snow-removal operations.
REVERE
A parking ban will go into effect in Revere at 6 p.m. Friday. Vehicles parked on the major arteries after that time will be towed.
The Winthrop Parkway flood gates will be closed at 12 a.m. Friday, and won’t reopen until sometime Sunday.
COVID-19 testing will be closed at Revere High School and Suffolk Downs on Saturday, and at the Revere Senior Center on Sunday. The testing site at Suffolk Downs will be open on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Saturday Department of Public Works yard trash drop-off event is postponed until next Saturday, Feb. 5.
SALEM
A snow emergency and parking ban will go into effect in Salem at 12 a.m. Saturday.
All vehicles must be removed from city streets and sidewalks during this parking ban. Violators will be subject to ticketing and towing.
The Museum Place and South Harbor garage snow rates will go into effect at 7 p.m. Friday. Residents parking in those garages prior to 7 p.m. will be charged at the regular hourly rate until they retrieve their vehicle, not at the snow rate.
On Saturday, the Salem Public Library will be closed, there will be no Skipper Service, and COVID-19 testing sites will be closed at Salem High School (“Stop the Spread”) and Riley Plaza (Curative).
Residents are advised that parking in most school lots during snow emergencies is no longer allowed. For an updated list of approved snow-parking locations, visit www.salem.com/snow.
SAUGUS
A parking ban will go into effect in Saugus at 11 p.m. Friday and will tentatively remain in effect until 12 p.m. Sunday, unless announced otherwise.
Vehicles must be moved from streets to allow the town to keep roadways cleared, plowed, salted and sanded for public safety and emergency vehicle access. Violators are subject to ticketing and towing, Town Manager Scott Crabtree said in a statement.
Limited parking is available in the Saugus Middle-High School upper lot, located at 1 Pearce Memorial Drive. The lot designated for emergency-overflow parking is known as the “upper lot on left” as drivers make their way down Pearce Memorial Drive. Additional off-street parking is available at the Anna Parker Playground lot, which is located behind the Essex Street fire station.
Crabtree’s office cautions residents that any downed wires should be considered live; if any downed wires are seen, residents should call 911 immediately.
In the event of severe power outages or heating issues, the town will activate emergency shelter as needed. Anyone in need of these services should contact Saugus Emergency Management at 781-231-4175, or call 911.
“Please be safe during this winter storm and check in on your family and neighbors,” said Crabtree. “Our Police, Fire and Emergency Management and Public Works departments, and our Emergency Medical Services are here to assist the residents of Saugus in any way we can. Please do not hesitate to call.”
SWAMPSCOTT
A snow emergency will be in effect in Swampscott from 2 a.m. Saturday to 12 p.m. Sunday.
All vehicles must be removed from streets to avoid the risk of being ticketed or towed. The town is reminding residents that all property owners are responsible for clearing snow from adjoining sidewalks to avoid being ticketed.
Metal recycling and Styrofoam dropoff and mattress recycling pickup scheduled for Saturday will be delayed until next Saturday, Feb. 5.
