PROJECT ALERT NOTICE (MA) Blizzard of January 4, 2018

Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2018 10:38:30 EST

Summary: Significant coastal flooding from the blizzard of January 4, 2018, impacts Massachusetts.

UPDATE: January 8, 2018
All hydrographers are safe. Two teams (four personnel) will be in the field today flagging additional marks. Temperatures are warming up today. Areas of interest today include the Rockport, Gloucester, and Marblehead areas.


UPDATE: January 7, 2018
All hydrographers are safe. It is currently 3 degrees below zero in Boston and two teams (4 personnel) continue their voyage today flagging high water marks. Areas of interest today include the Seaport District, Atlantic Avenue, Long Wharf, and the Aquarium Subway Station. Some great progress has been made. The official press released was sent out to the Project Alert Group yesterday.


UPDATE: January 6, 2018
The five teams (10 personnel) of hydrographers completed a safe and successful day flagging high water marks on January 5. They continue their journey today flagging more high water marks.


UPDATE: January 5, 2018
Significant flooding along the coast of Massachusetts occurred Thursday, January 4, 2018, caused by a powerful blizzard. Peak storm surge of approximately 3.00 feet occurred at the astro high tide; and, according to the National Weather Service, is the highest since records began at the Boston tide station in 1921. Storm surge reached approximately 3.50 feet up to a couple of hours after the high tide in and around the area.

The Aquarium Subway Station near the Seaport District had to be shut down, because water started pouring in the subway.

Snowfall totals in Massachusetts neared 18 inches, according to the National Weather Service records. Boston snowfall totaled 13.4 inches. Lexington snowfall totaled 17.0 inches. Taunton snowfall totaled 17.6 inches.

Five teams of USGS hydrographers are in the field today through the weekend flagging high water marks in several heavily impacted communities, including: Revere, Winthrop, Boston, Quincy, Hull, Scituate, and Marshfield.

Quick video clip can be viewed for Scituate: https://twitter.com/AndreaWBZ/status/948980171285114880

Quick video clip can be viewed for Boston (showing the aforementioned Aquarium Station): https://twitter.com/ChrisGNBCBoston/status/948972255534567424/video/1