Heavy Snow — Western Franklin, Massachusetts

2022-12-16 to 2022-12-17 · Western Franklin, Massachusetts

Event narrative

Heavy snow fell in western Franklin County. Warning criteria was met as early as 6:30 AM EST on the 16th. Final totals included: 18.0 inches in Rowe (amateur radio); 16.0 in Hawley (trained spotter); and 11.0 in Ashfield (trained spotter). In Rowe, at 10 AM EST, the weight of the snow knocked down a tree and wires on Davis Mine Road and at 610 AM EST on the 17th, police reported a tree down on Middletown Hill Road. In Ashfield at 214 PM EST on the 16th, the Fire Dept. reported a tree down on wires (road unspecified). In Buckland at 525 AM EST on the 17th, the Fire Dept. reported multiple trees down on wires. In Conway at 552 AM EST on the 17th, amateur radio operators reported a large tree down on North Poland Road.

Wider weather episode

Low pressure intensified along the New Jersey coast on the 16th and moved northeast across southeast New England, reaching the Gulf of Maine on the 17th. The big impact was very heavy elevational snows, with a foot-and-a-half of snow in the east slopes of the Berkshires and 8 to 10 inches in the hills of northern Worcester County. Elsewhere there was a few inches of rain and gusty winds, both ahead of and behind the system.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1062919. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.