/O.UPG.KBOX.WS.A.0013.081219T1300Z-081220T0800Z/ /O.NEW.KBOX.WS.W.0011.081219T1500Z-081220T0800Z/ HARTFORD CT-TOLLAND CT-WINDHAM CT-WESTERN FRANKLIN MA- EASTERN FRANKLIN MA-NORTHERN WORCESTER MA-CENTRAL MIDDLESEX MA- WESTERN ESSEX MA-EASTERN ESSEX MA-WESTERN HAMPSHIRE MA- WESTERN HAMPDEN MA-EASTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-EASTERN HAMPDEN MA- SOUTHERN WORCESTER MA-WESTERN NORFOLK MA-SOUTHEAST MIDDLESEX MA- SUFFOLK MA-EASTERN NORFOLK MA-NORTHERN BRISTOL MA- WESTERN PLYMOUTH MA-EASTERN PLYMOUTH MA-SOUTHERN BRISTOL MA- SOUTHERN PLYMOUTH MA-BARNSTABLE MA-DUKES MA-NANTUCKET MA- NORTHERN MIDDLESEX MA-CHESHIRE NH-EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH NH- WESTERN AND CENTRAL HILLSBOROUGH NH-NORTHWEST PROVIDENCE RI- SOUTHEAST PROVIDENCE RI-WESTERN KENT RI-EASTERN KENT RI- BRISTOL RI-WASHINGTON RI-NEWPORT RI-BLOCK ISLAND RI- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...HARTFORD...WINDSOR LOCKS...UNION... VERNON...PUTNAM...WILLIMANTIC...CHARLEMONT...GREENFIELD... ORANGE...BARRE...FITCHBURG...FRAMINGHAM...LOWELL...LAWRENCE... GLOUCESTER...CHESTERFIELD...BLANDFORD...AMHERST...NORTHAMPTON... SPRINGFIELD...MILFORD...WORCESTER...FOXBORO...NORWOOD... CAMBRIDGE...BOSTON...QUINCY...TAUNTON...BROCKTON...PLYMOUTH... FALL RIVER...NEW BEDFORD...MATTAPOISETT...CHATHAM...FALMOUTH... PROVINCETOWN...VINEYARD HAVEN...NANTUCKET...AYER...JAFFREY... KEENE...MANCHESTER...NASHUA...PETERBOROUGH...WEARE...FOSTER... SMITHFIELD...PROVIDENCE...WEST GREENWICH...WARWICK...BRISTOL... NARRAGANSETT...WESTERLY...NEWPORT...BLOCK ISLAND 307 PM EST THU DEC 18 2008 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM FRIDAY TO 3 AM EST SATURDAY... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM FRIDAY TO 3 AM EST SATURDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. THE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP FROM WEST TO EAST LATE FRIDAY MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. LATEST INDICATIONS ARE FOR SNOW TO BEGIN IN THE GREATER HARTFORD SPRINGFIELD AREAS AND THE I91 CORRIDOR BETWEEN 10 AM AND NOON. SNOW WILL THEN OVERSPREAD THE REMAINDER OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND... INCLUDING EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND BETWEEN NOON AND 2 PM. THE SNOW WILL BECOME HEAVY NOT TOO LONG AFTER THE ONSET. THUS TRAVEL IS NOT RECOMMENDED DURING THE AFTERNOON THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. SNOWFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR ARE LIKELY FROM MID FRIDAY AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING. ROADS DURING THE FRIDAY LATE DAY/EVENING COMMUTE WILL BE SNOW COVERED AND TREACHEROUS. THE SNOW SHOULD TAPER TO SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE INTERIOR DURING THE EVENING HOURS...BUT THE STEADY SNOW WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE COAST WELL INTO THE NIGHT....ESPECIALLY ACROSS SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS...INCLUDING CAPE COD AND NANTUCKET. IN ADDITION...STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS NEAR 45 MPH WILL DEVELOP FRIDAY EVENING AND NIGHT ACROSS EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND. THIS WILL RESULT IN CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...YIELDING VISIBILITY NEAR ZERO AT TIMES AND BITTERLY COLD WIND CHILLS. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED ON THE CAPE AND ISLANDS. AT THIS TIME...IT LOOKS AS THOUGH MOST OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND WILL RECEIVE 6 TO 12 INCHES OF SNOWFALL BY MIDNIGHT FRIDAY NIGHT...WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS ACROSS RHODE ISLAND AND SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS. FOR MARTHAS VINEYARD...NANTUCKET...BLOCK ISLAND...AND PERHAPS EVEN CAPE COD...RAIN AND SLEET MAY MIX IN WITH THE SNOW FROM TIME TO TIME. THIS WOULD RESULT IN SLIGHTLY LOWER SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THERE. THIS SNOWSTORM IS STILL ABOUT 24 HOURS AWAY...SO SOME OF THE DETAILS WILL LIKELY HAVE TO BE REFINED...SUCH AS THE ARRIVAL TIME OF THE SNOW AND THE RAIN SNOW LINE ACROSS CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS. IF THE SYSTEM TRACKS A LITTLE FASTER THAN CURRENTLY FORECASTED...SNOW WILL ARRIVE A FEW HOURS SOONER. NEVERTHELESS...AT THIS TIME...TRAVEL IS NOT RECOMMENDED ANYTIME FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AS WE EXPECT HEAVY SNOW TREACHEROUS ROAD CONDITIONS DURING THIS TIME. A WINTER STORM WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN AN AVERAGE OF 6 OR MORE INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED IN A 12 HOUR PERIOD...OR FOR 8 OR MORE INCHES IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD. TRAVEL WILL BE SLOW AT BEST ON WELL TREATED SURFACES...AND QUITE DIFFICULT ON ANY UNPLOWED OR UNTREATED SURFACES.