Winter storm snow accumulating on Cape Cod roads slows travel
It was slow going along Route 6 and downtown Hyannis as snow started to cover roads at a quick clip Sunday.
Massachusetts — including Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket — is slated to get hammered with a major winter storm that could end up dropping one to two inches of snow an hour.
Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket are currently each predicted to get at least a foot of snow, according to the National Weather Service Boston (NWS). A winter storm warning has been issued for the region through Monday.
“Major winter storm will bring intense, heavy snow to southern New England Sunday into Monday. Heavy snowfall with 1-2″+ inch per hour snow rates is expected Sunday afternoon and evening, making for dangerous travel conditions,” the forecast discussion said.
Snow started mid-morning on Sunday on Cape Cod In anticipation of the storm, schools have begun to announce closures for Monday.
Nearly all public and private schools on Cape Cod and the Islands cancelled classes for a snow day Monday, Jan. 26, in anticipation of the winter storm impacts to the region. As of 1:30 p.m. Sunday, most public schools had cancelled and more would likely come.
The winter storm warning is in effect from 7 a.m. Sunday to 8 p.m. Monday.
The region’s two colleges — Cape Cod Community College in West Barnstable and Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay — made early calls, on Saturday, to close for the day on Monday, Jan. 26, due to the anticipated weather.
Do you know how public school superintendents make their decison to call a “snow day”?
Managing inclement weather is a multi-faceted effort across a variety of municipal departments. Each town, Mashpee Public Schools Superintendent Michele Conners said recently, makes its own decision on whether to cancel, or delay, school.
School superintendents, she said, also keep in touch and consult to make the right decision.
“Internally, we are discussing the ‘what ifs’ and our own protocols,” said Conners. “It is just so tricky because of the conflicting weather reports. We want to make the decision early, but not prematurely.”
The Barnstable County Multi-Agency Coordination Center (MACC) activated at noon Sunday and will remain operational through Monday to support Cape Cod–specific coordination and resource needs.
Utility crews are staged and ready to respond as conditions allow. Eversource and National Grid will open their storm operations this afternoon at 4 p.m., with additional resources positioned in the region, including pre-staged assets on Nantucket, according to the county announcement. Residents are reminded: report outages directly to your utility (including single-home outages and if your neighbors are restored but you are not.)
Cape Cod healthcare facilities report they are fully staffed and prepared, with emergency power systems ready and snow removal crews staged to maintain safe access. No off-site clinic closures have been reported at this time. The Salvation Army will be available to assist once travel conditions are safe.
Local DPWs, MassDOT, and public safety partners report full operational readiness, including coordination to keep emergency routes to Cape Cod Hospital accessible.
Regional emergency shelters are on standby for potential activation Monday, if needed.
On Cape Cod, Hyannis is expected to see 16 inches, with the high end predicted at 19 inches and the low end 5. In Provincetown, 19 inches are predicted with the high end at 23 inches and the low end 7.
On Martha’s Vineyard, 13 inches are predicted with the high end at 16 inches and the low end 5.
On Nantucket, 11 inches are expected, with the high end at 13 inches and the low end 3.
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