Heavy Snow — Northwest Middlesex County, Massachusetts

2023-01-23 · Northwest Middlesex County, Massachusetts

Event narrative

Generally 5 to 7 inches of heavy, wet snow fell across northwest Middlesex County. Some specific totals included 6.8 inches in Pepperell, 6.3 inches in Ashby, and 5.5 inches in Townsend. In Groton at 330 AM EST, police reported a large tree down on Whitman Road at Nicole Lane. In Townsend at 400 AM EST, police reported a large tree on wires on Vinton Pond Road; a tree and wires down on Dudley Road at Barker Hill Road; and a tree and wires down on Route 13 northbound. In Shirley at 435 AM EST, the Fire Dept. reported a tree down on Lawton Road. In Ashby between 505 AM EST and 720 AM EST, police reported power lines down on Upper Foster Road and a tree down on Route 119 near Damon Road; Fire Dept. officials reported a tree and power lines down on Davis Road, a tree down at Simonds Road at Mason Road, and a tree down on Greenville Road.

Wider weather episode

Low pressure, tracking from the New Jersey coast to Nantucket, produced heavy, wet snow that was pretty much confined to the higher elevations in western and northern Massachusetts. The weight of the snow, especially when combined with snow from a few days prior, caused some tree damage. There was also coastal flooding around the time of high tide in eastern Massachusetts.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1070761. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.