STORM OF THE CENTURY!!!!!!

Storm accumulation forecast from Right Weather.

[alert type=”warning”]↑ Right Weather has updated their storm map with higher totals than the one above![/alert] [box style=”red”]Updates[/alert] [box style=”red”]Amtrak Northeast Service Advisories.[/alert]

BREAKING: Gov Chafee has restricted travel on I-95, I-195, I-295, RI 146, RI 24 starting at 5pm. #snowRI

— Ted Nesi (@tednesi) February 8, 2013

[box style=”red”]Travel bans go into effect in Massachusetts and Connecticut Friday at 4pm. Authorized personnel only on roadways.[/alert]

Service NYP to BOS disrupted 2/8 due to predicted winter storm. Some connecting services also impacted. Details at amtrak.com.

— Amtrak Northeast (@AmtrakNEC) February 7, 2013

[box style=”red”]National Grid Power Outage Map
Report an Outage: 1-800-465-1212
For text alerts send STORM to NGRID (64743)[/alert]

Mass. bans all road travel at 4 pm: www2.turnto10.com/weather/2013/f… #NemoRI

— Rhode Island EMA (@RhodeIslandEMA) February 8, 2013

[box style=”red”]State of Emergency declared in Rhode Island.[/alert] [box style=”red”]Blizzard Warning 6am Friday to 1pm Saturday.[/alert]

The short message about tomorrow (and Saturday, and probably Sunday too) is STAY HOME!

Of course, I’m planning to go to work for a while Friday, so practice what I preach, not so much.

What you need to know.

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City of Providence

The City, basically it is shut down, see above about staying home.

Schools closed, parking ban starts Friday the 8th at noon, and trash collection on Friday will be “early.”

Snow Removal
Snow removal… look, we’re looking at more than 2 feet of snow maybe, do what you can, take your time. I’m not going to be bellyaching about sidewalks until Monday at the earliest. However, here is the City’s page on snow removal and preparation. You should attempt to get fire hydrants on or adjacent to your property cleared ASAP to ensure that the fire department has access in an emergency.

Social Media
The City is all up in your Twitters, Follow Mayor Taveras, him and his staff will be Twittering on his account. The Providence Emergency Management Agency is Twittering here.

I get all my weather information on Twitter from Right Weather.

RIPTA

[box style=”red”]All RIPTA services will end Friday at noon. Some park-n-ride services will be suspended all day:[/alert]

The Park-n-Rides lots listed below will not be serviced all day on Friday, February 8th. The 90W Westerly Park-n-Ride will operate on the regular schedule until noon; one outbound trip from Kennedy Plaza will be added at 11:00AM.

• 90A Exit 7 / Arctic / Warwick Rte.#117 Park-n-Ride
• 90C Blackstone Valley Visitor’s Center / Chimney Hill
• 90S Scituate / Chopmist Hill

Also from RIPTA:

Passengers are strongly advised to monitor news reports, visit RIPTA’s website, ripta.com, or social media accounts (Facebook @RideRIPTA, Twitter @RIPTA_RI), for updated service status updates and travel advisories. In preparation for the storm, RIPTA urges passengers to sign up for electronic News Updates at ripta.com/detours-news; RIPTA will e-mail system disruption notices to passengers on this distribution list. Customers are advised to use extra caution at bus stops, as conditions may slippery.

MBTA Commuter Rail

RIDOT reports via Facebook:

MBTA suspending service early on Friday. Last train from Boston is 3:30pm to Providence only. Last train from Providence to TF Green and Wickford Junction leaves at 2:54pm

Basically, what they’re saying is, ‘don’t go to Boston tomorrow silly.’

The MBTA has further information on their website including that the entire system is shutting down at 3:30pm.

Photos!!!

[alert type=”info”]I’ll be downtown tomorrow and out in the snow like a crazy person throughout the weekend taking photos. If you’re a crazy going out in a blizzard taking photos person too, as always we hope you’ll share your photos so we can post them here. Share them in our Flickr Group, on our Facebook page, and via email.[/alert]

Stay safe and enjoy the snow!