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Winter Storm Linus New England Impacts: Boston Schools Canceled; Woman Killed By Snow Plow in Weymouth, Massachusetts
Winter Storm Linus New England Impacts: Boston Schools Canceled; Woman Killed By Snow Plow in Weymouth, Massachusetts
Oct 19, 2024 9:33 AM

This year's Super Bowl Monday hangover will have a wintry feel for much of New England.

Winter Storm Linus began dumping snow on Massachusetts Monday morning, still packing a punch after a journey of more than 1,000 miles through the Southwest, Great Plains and Midwest. Though it's not expected to leave historic snowfall totals behind, as Winter Storm Juno did a week ago, there could still be problems that come with an additional foot of snow or more.

"For parts of eastern New England, Linus is the third winter storm to bring snow to the parts of the region in the past week," said weather.com meteorologist . "This latest round of snow could result in totals up to a foot in Boston and Portland, Maine."

By Monday afternoon, more than 14 inches of snow had already been reported in parts of Worcester County, Massachusetts. With more than 34 inches of snow reported over the last seven days, Boston has broken its record for the snowiest 7-day period, which was previously 31.2 inches from Jan. 2-8, 1996. The city also surpassed its average annual snowfall for the season; more than 44 inches of snow have fallen in a city that averages 43.2 inches per year.

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Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh has ordered the schools closed again for Tuesday. Schools were closed Monday and Walsh declared a snow emergency starting at 6 a.m. Boston College also called off classes for Monday. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker urged people to take public transportation if possible.

"The safety of our children and families in Boston is always our top priority," Walsh said. "Our crews will be working hard to clear all streets and schools tonight and tomorrow as we recover from this ongoing winter storm."

A woman in her 50s was killed after she , Monday morning, according to NECN.com. A 67-year-old woman in Cohasset was also hit by a snow plow Monday morning, but her injuries were treated at the scene, the report added.

Snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour are possible in Boston Monday morning, likely impacting the morning commute in the city, forecasters say. The heaviest accumulations are expected in areas west and north of the city. Linus could leave parts of New England with 8 to 14 inches of snow, and parts of western Massachusetts and Connecticut could get as much as 16 inches.

"We're almost at blizzard (conditions), given the visibility," said , storm tracker for The Weather Channel, Monday morning in Boston.

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Air travel will be affected all day in the region's major hubs. At Boston Logan International Airport, Monday afternoon, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware. That's bad news for thousands of New England Patriots fans looking to return home from the Desert Southwest following the team's victory over the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl.

Non-essential travel was not banned Monday, but local authorities reported numerous spinouts on major roadways across the state. Some 3,300 pieces of equipment were sent out to clear state roads Monday morning, according to The AP.

Juno pummeled Worcester with , making it the heaviest snowstorm on record for the city.

Despite the potential for plow-driver fatigue, Massachusetts Department of Transportation HighwayAdministratiorFrank DePaola said the state is "in good shape" to tackle Winter Storm Linus, with crews already working Sunday evening to help "geteverybody where they need to be during the morning commute."

Last week's blizzard took $21 million from the Massachusetts's $100 million snow-and-ice removal budget, which heading into Sunday night is approximately half-depleted, DePaola said during a news conference Sunday afternoon.

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A victory parade originally planned for the Patriots has been postponed a day, according to NBC. The parade route was expected to go from the Prudential Center to City Hall Tuesday.

"Due to today's bad weather and the worsening forecast for tonight, the New England Patriots and the City of Boston have made the mutual decision to postpone the victory parade until Wednesday, Feburary 4, at 11 a.m." Mayor Walsh said. "We thank everyone for their flexibility and patience during the planning of this parade and we look forward to celebrating with Patriots fans during better weather on Wednesday."

Southern New England was also expected to feel snowy effects from Linus. According to The Associated Press, the Connecticut Department of Transportation has asked residents to avoid travel if they can, as roads are slick and will remain dangerous through most of Monday.

In the small New Hampshire town of Henniker, located about 20 miles west of Concord, a fire has destroyed a fleet of snow plows, which may cause serious problems for snow removal after Linus.

,which is the majority of the heavy equipment the town uses to clear the roads in the winter, HennikerFire Chief Steve Burritt told The Concord Monitor. No injuries were reported.

"This puts the town in a bad spot,” Burritt said.

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Other nearby towns have offered their help. Local communities, state departments and agencies have pitched in to ensure Henniker is at least in a, according toThe Concord Monitor.

New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan planned to open the state's Emergency Operations Center at 8 a.m. and urged drivers to plan ahead for a slower-than-average morning commute, according to The AP.

A snow emergency was declared for Nashua from Monday morning through Tuesday morning, The AP reported. Manchester-Boston Regional Airport remained open on Monday, but a few dozen flights were canceled in the morning hours.

In Maine, many state offices closed early on Monday to get residents off the dangerous roads sooner. All state Legislature hearings and activities were also canceled Monday, The AP reported.

As for New England residents preparing for Linus, there was little worry that this event would overpower them.

"It's January in New England, it's just one of those things. You prep for it," Manchester resident Nick Drouin told The AP.

Linus caps what could become the snowiest week ever recorded in Boston. In records dating to 1891, Boston's snowiest seven-day period was Jan. 2-8, 1996, when 31.2 inches fell. Boston recorded 24.3 inches Jan. 27 through Feb. 1, a six-day period, so a 7-inch snowfall Monday would break the snowiest-week record.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Winter Storm Linus

Pedestrians navigate the snow, ice and puddles along a Manhattan street on Feb. 2, 2015 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

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