PROJECT ALERT NOTICE (CT MA ME NH) Nor'easter of March 2018 - New England

Date: Thu, 01 Mar 2018 11:33:19 EST

Summary: The New England Water Science Center deploys for the Nor'easter of March 2018.

The National Weather Service is forecasting major coastal flooding over the course of three to four consecutive astronomical tide cycles Friday and into the weekend. A powerful low pressure system is expected to form off the coast south of Nantucket late Friday, producing hurricane force winds over Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and Cape Code. Models have indicated that the most severe major impacts may occur along the Massachusetts coast, and potentially north into southern Maine. Highest confidence is for major coastal flooding from Plymouth County in Massachusetts to Cape Cod. Confidence is lower from Boston north to the Massachusetts-New Hampshire Boarder. More moderate impacts are expected along the coast of Rhode Island and southward.

The forecast calls for the storm to generate very high seas ranging from 25-35 feet immediately offshore. Structural damage to homes and seawalls is expected to occur. In addition to structural and seawall damage, severe beach erosion is expected to occur over the course of multiple consecutive tide cycles, which could compromise protective dunes and seawalls and increase vulnerability to some areas during the event.

As of this morning, the towns of Scituate and Duxbury in Massachusetts have asked residence to evacuate.

Today, March 1, 2018, the New England Water Science Center has dispatched 9 teams of hydrographers to deploy storm surge sensors along the New England coast.

In Connecticut, three teams will be installing between 10 and 12 storm surge sensors.

In Massachusetts, four teams will be installing 14 storm surge sensors.

In New Hampshire, one team will be installing two storm surge sensors.

In Maine, one team will be installing three storm surge sensors.

All sites and data will be available via the Flood Event Viewer website.