Despite the highs of the hometown team winning this year’s Super Bowl, residents of Boston have been hard hit by record amounts of snow falling in the area over the last month. Just in the last thirty days, Boston has seen 69 inches of snow fall breaking the long standing record of 58.8 inches which took place in 1978. Even worse is that more is in the forecast for the next few days which will send more snow to the region.
The National Weather Service is predicting up to three feet of snow to fall by Wednesday of this week adding to the impressive amount already on the ground. Boston’s largest snowfall on record was in 1995-96 when the city received 107.6 inches.
Massachusetts Governor Charles Baker has declared a statewide emergency which allows more resources to combat the winter weather.
The transit system in Boston, known as the ‘T’, has been hardest hit by the snowy weather. Snow drifts built up on the tracks have made train service almost impossible. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has already issued a suspension of service for Monday and Tuesday evening at 7 P.M. due to the impending weather forecast. The news did not sit well with Baker who intents to discuss the transportation matters with the MBTA.
In addition to Boston, other areas in the Northeast were being pelted with above average snowfalls. Totals of fourteen inches were seen in many parts of Vermont and upstate New York. Effects of the snow caused hundreds of airline flights to be canceled at airports in the region leaving thousands of passengers stranded or delayed from their destination. Wind chills dipped into the double digits below zero with the storms in the area causing those working outdoors to take preventative measures against potential frostbite. Buffalo has a high temperature forecast of minus one degree below zero for Monday.
Mayor of Boston Martin J. Walsh said in a recent press statement about precautions for severe weather, “While the City continues to work around the clock to clear our roads and sidewalks and remove the amount of snowfall Boston has received recently, we need residents to take extra precautions as we prepare for another storm and extremely low temperatures. I continue to encourage residents to stay inside and off the roads as much as possible to stay safe and allow our Public Works Department to do their job. In addition, please remember to check on your neighbors.”
