BCREPC continues to monitor weekend storm
The Barnstable County Regional Emergency Planning Committee (BCREPC) held a conference call at 10 a.m. Friday to update members on the latest forecast regarding the winter storm predicted to affect the area on Saturday.
The main issue for the region has been just how far north the main precipitation shield will reach. The National Weather Service has issued a “Winter Storm Watch” for an area that includes Cape Cod and the Islands from Saturday morning through Sunday morning. Amounts of 4 to 7 inches seem reasonable with a chance of 8-inch amounts in spots over SE coastal Massachusetts, the south coast, and the Cape and Islands. Any further trend northward could bring additional higher accumulations to the southern areas of our region and northward. In the storm’s wake a moderation in temperature is expected.
Winds continue to be as forecast with gusts near 60 mph over the Cape/Islands with some 65 mph gusts possible. Winds will pile up some water offshore and it appears likely that parts of the eastern Massachusetts coast will experience some coastal flooding at the time of high tide late Saturday 11 p.m. and midday Sunday around 11 a.m. Tides of 2 to 2.5 feet above normal are likely with some wave action over exposed areas. The main threat is from the south shore down to Sandwich where minor coastal flooding is possible. Some vulnerable spots could see some pockets of moderate coastal flooding.
As of the Friday morning call, the BCREPC did not intend to activate the Regional Shelter System but asked its Regional Shelter System partners to remain on alert. The BCREPC will continue to monitor forecasts and reevaluate the situation on Friday afternoon.
The BCREPC advises the citizens of Barnstable County to remain “weather aware” and be prepared for winter weather conditions.
For information about preparedness and the Regional Shelter System visit the Barnstable County REPC website at www.bcrepc.org
Follow the BCREPC on Twitter @bcrepc.
Additional information on preparedness is available from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) at www.mass.gov/mema or the FEMA website at www.ready.gov or call 2-1-1. For specific local information, citizens should contact the emergency management office in their town.