Ri Energy Outage Map tied to expected outages as Nor’easter slams Southern New England
The ri energy outage map is already being consulted as a Nor’easter slams the region, blanketing Southern New England with blizzard conditions Monday morning and raising the likelihood of widespread power outages.
Blizzard conditions blanket Southern New England
Snow and northeast wind gusts of 50-70 mph have blanketed all of Southern New England this Monday morning and will continue through the rest of this morning as the height of the storm continues. Visibility will drop to near zero at times, making travel impossible and not recommended for Monday morning.
Ri Energy Outage Map and likely outage areas
Forecasters warn that the weight of the snow will be considerably higher than previous storms this season because of higher surface temperatures and more water content, a change that increases the risk for tree damage and power outages. Power outages will be likely, especially along the south coastline, where the combination of gusts of 60 mph or more and a wet, heavy snow may result in downed tree limbs and wires.
Heaviest snow timing and snowfall rates
The heaviest snow continues through Monday morning, with snowfall rates of 2-3" per hour possible at times and pockets of thundersnow. Bands of heavy snow will move across the area Monday morning with powerful northeasterly wind gusts, and it might not be until 3 p. m. Monday when the highest snowfall rates let up. Light to moderate snow could linger until 11 p. m., and it may still be snowing as the sun begins to set on Monday even though the worst of the storm will be over.
Wind, drifting snow and travel impacts
Winds gusting 50-70 mph through Monday afternoon will blow and drift snow, reducing visibility to near zero and producing a high probability of blizzard conditions persisting for several hours. Expect major disruption to travel: road conditions will deteriorate rapidly on Sunday night and could become impassable by Monday morning, not even factoring in the zero visibility from heavy snow and strong wind gusts.
Snow totals and regional differences
The snowfall forecast has increased for Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts as the storm track takes the Nor’easter close to the benchmark, creating a setup for a big snowfall. A widespread 18 to 24 inches is expected across most of Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, with 12 to 18 inches along the immediate south coast and toward the Cape Cod Canal.
Practical steps and a note on website access
Officials advise allowing extra time to safely remove snow and, if possible, to make multiple passes with a shovel, plow, or snowblower; those clearing driveways and sidewalks should plan for the heavy, wet snow on Monday morning. Separately, the providencejournal. com website displays a message that it wants to ensure the best experience for readers, that the site was built to take advantage of the latest technology to make it faster and easier to use, and that, unfortunately, some browsers are not supported—readers are asked to download an updated browser for the best experience on providencejournal. com.
Recovery and restoration operations will center on downed limbs and damaged lines along the south coastline first; utility crews will be working once conditions allow and outages are mapped. The next confirmed milestone is the expected easing of heaviest snowfall around 3 p. m. Monday, with light to moderate snow possibly continuing until 11 p. m.
