Winter Storm Warning For New Hampshire Update: 6 to 14 Inches

CONCORD, NH — The National Weather Service, which was earlier predicting somewhere between four to nine inches of snow on Saturday, has upgraded its watch to a warning — with as much as 14 inches of the white stuff coming to New Hampshire Saturday.

In an updated winter storm warning Friday, the NWS warned of heavy snow beginning Saturday around 10 a.m. instead of 7 a.m. as first posted. Rain is expected first which will switch to snow. The snow is expected to be "heavy," the NWS said.

"Total snow accumulations of 6 to 14 inches expected," the alert said, "(with) winds gusting as high as 35 mph."

The worst of the storm is expected between central and southern New Hampshire. Travel could be "very difficult to impossible" due to snowfall rates that "may exceed 1 inch per hour, reducing visibility, and will effectively stick to trees causing power outage concerns."

The Winter Storm Warning was posted at 7:46 p.m. and runs from 10 a.m. Saturday to 1 p.m. Sunday.

Forecasters also warned that if people must travel, they should keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in their vehicle in case of emergency.

Power Companies Prepare …

Eversource said it was prepared for the first nor'easter of the season in New England.

The company on Friday said it was keeping a "close eye" on the track of the storm and was preparing for the heavy rain, wet snow, and wind by positioning more than 500 workers across New Hampshire alone for the storm.

"As the track of this storm continues to change, we're closely watching the weather and adjusting our plan accordingly, as well as pre-staging hundreds of workers and materials across the state," Eversource NH President Joe Purington said. "We're well-positioned and ready to respond to any resulting damage and to get the power back on for our customers as quickly and safely as possible. We also remind customers that restorations may take longer as we ensure the safety of our employees and customers while working under the challenging conditions related to the pandemic."

Preparedness tips, the company said, could be found both at Eversource.com and Readynh.gov.

… And You Should, Too

The American Red Cross and Unitil are encouraging New Hampshire residents to prepare for the storm, too.

"Now more than ever, proactive planning is imperative," Alec O'Meara, Unitil's media relations manager. "It is crucial to ensure that all resources are arranged ahead of time. While New England weather is unpredictable, we are happy to provide a few tips to help New England residents ensure they’re winter ready."

The orgs recommend assembling an emergency preparedness kit with warm clothes, sand for ice, water, canned food, and a battery-powered radio; preparing both the home and vehicle for storms like filling your gas tank with fuel and removing icicles from eaves; protecting gas meters by clearing snow from them; and watching and understanding storm alerts — a watch, as an example, is a 36 to 48 hour warning of what is possible while a warning means severe weather conditions will begin within 24 hours.

"Adhering to these safety tips will ensure your family is safe all winter long," Stephanie Couturier, CEO of American Red Cross Northern New England Region, said. "Wishing you a happy, healthy and safe winter."

Is your emergency kit ready?

Batteries, water, emergency numbers, and more!

Watch this short video and make sure you aren't missing some crucial supplies. #EmergencyPreparedness #StormKit #BePrepared pic.twitter.com/iwB8HFcPAH
— Unitil (@Unitil) December 4, 2020

The latest weather conditions can be found on the front page of every Patch.com site in the United States including the 12 New Hampshire Patch news and community websites. Local, four-day weather reports for New Hampshire are posted on Sundays and Wednesday or Thursdays. Alerts are posted when needed.

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