Fwd: Winter Storm Watch for Holden, MA

"Ice accretion" is one of those phrases that's ugly and ominous for good reason.

Then, again, we ought to think about those poor folks in Palin-land who had to postpone their celebrations of their 50th anniversary of statehood; they wouldn't be able to see the fireworks because of ice fog. High temperatures are forecast to be -30-50F° in the valleys.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Weather Underground Email Service <emailer@email.wunderground.com>
Date: Mon, Jan 5, 2009 at 3:35 PM
Subject: Winter Storm Watch for Holden, MA


Winter Storm Watch
Statement as of 3:33 PM EST on January 05, 2009
...Winter Storm Watch in effect from late Tuesday night through
late Wednesday night...
The National Weather Service in Taunton has issued a Winter Storm
Watch...which is in effect from late Tuesday night through late
Wednesday night.
This watch includes southern New Hampshire...as well as interior
northern and central Massachusetts.
Snow is expected to develop across the region very late Tuesday night.
The snow may become heavy at times Wednesday morning and accumulate
several inches. However...warm air is expected to move in aloft
changing the precipitation over to sleet and freezing rain across
most locations by late morning or early afternoon.
Most locations should see the temperatures remain below freezing for
the entire event. Therefore...once the change over occurs sleet and
freezing rain will continue through the afternoon. The potential
exists for between one quarter and one half inch of ice accretion...
with the higher amounts more likely closer to the Massachusetts
Turnpike where freezing rain may become the main precipitation type.
It remains uncertain what the predominant precipitation type will be
from this storm. If the low pressure system tracks closer to the
coast...more of an ice event can be expected with just some snow at
the onset. If the low tracks further south...we will be dealing with
several inches of snow with not as much ice. Regardless...the Wednesday
morning rush hour may be quite messy so plan accordingly.
A Winter Storm Watch is issued for the potential of accumulating
snow of 6 or more inches in a 12 hour period...or 8 or more
inches in a 24 hour period. Anyone traveling in the next 24 to
36 hours should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to modify
travel plans should winter weather develop.


--
Drink from the well and yield your place to another. - Jose Ortega y Gasset