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

Date: Tue, 06 Mar 2018 08:18:46 EST

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

Tuesday, March 6, 2018, UPDATE:
All staff are safe and accounted for. Today, the New England Water Science Center has Seven teams (14 hydrographers) in Massachusetts and one team (two hydrographers) in Connecticut collecting storm surge sensors and flagging high water marks.



Monday, March 5, 2018, UPDATE:
All staff are safe and accounted for from Sunday's dispatch. Today, the New England Water Science Center will continue flagging high water marks and collecting storm surge sensors that were deployed before the storm. Specific details for each state are as follows:

Connecticut: Two teams (four hydrographers) will collect the storm surge sensors and flag high water marks.

Rhode Island: One team (two hydrographers) will flag high water marks.

Massachusetts: Seven teams (14 hydrographers) will collect storm surge sensors and flag high water marks.

New Hampshire: Two teams (four hydrographers) will collect the storm surge sensors and flag high water marks.

Maine: One teams (two hydrographers) will collect the storm surge sensors and flag high water marks.

In total, 13 teams (26 hydrographers) have been dispatched to collect storm surge sensors and flag high water marks associated with the nor'easter of March 2018.



Sunday, March 4, 2018, UPDATE:
Many roads and homes in Massachusetts were flooded during this event. Several local police departments were dispatched to homes to rescue families stuck in rising waters. Atlantic Avenue in Boston, near the Aquarium T Stop, was under water. Similar to the nor'easter in January 2018, water was pouring into the station.

Today, March 4, 2018, the New England Water Science Center will dispatch two teams of hydrographers (four personnel) in Massachusetts to begin retrieving the storm surge sensors and flag high water marks. The number one goal is to visit the same locations visited after January's nor'easter to flag high water marks to compare these two events with the high water marks observed after the blizzard of 1978. There will be additional teams dispatched beginning Monday, March 5, 2018.



Friday, March 2, 2018, UPDATE:
All field crews throughout New England are safe and accounted for. The final tally on deployments is as follows:

In Connecticut, three teams installed 12 storm surge sensors and 2 rapid deployment gages.

In Massachusetts, four teams installed 14 storm surge sensors.

In New Hampshire, one team installed two storm surge sensors.

In Maine, one team installed three storm surge sensors.

At this time, no work is planned for the weekend, however, we will monitor the situation and if conditions worsen, may dispatch field crews. The New England Water Science Center anticipates dispatching several field crews to retrieve storm surge sensors and flag high water marks starting Monday, March 5, 2018.



Thursday, March 1, 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 Cod. 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 Border. 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: https://water.usgs.gov/floods/FEV/