What To Know About The Snow In Arlington

ARLINGTON, MA — Just when you thought 2020 might let you out, it snows you back in.

With more than a foot of snow possible in the Arlington area overnight Wednesday, here are some things to know about how the snow might affect you once you are all stocked up on milk, bread and maybe a few warm, holiday treats.

Schools

Information will be posted on the Arlington Public Schools website.

Snow Emergency Declared

The town declared a snow emergency effective 11 p.m. Wednesday. During a Snow Emergency a parking ban is in place for a minimum of 24 hours on all streets and parking lots.

Vehicles improperly parked during a snow emergency and impeding snow removal operations are subject to ticketing and towing.

When snow emergencies/parking bans are lifted, cars are not to obstruct roadways in accordance to Traffic Rules and Orders, Article V Parking, Section 1 (e), which prohibits the parking of a vehicle "upon any roadway where the parking of a vehicle will not leave a clear and unobstructed lane at least 10 feet wide for passing traffic."

Not all streets can accommodate parking within this rule when snow accumulates. Parked cars violating this rule will be subject to ticketing and towing.

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Snow Removal

• Keep roads clear to allow plowing operations to proceed smoothly.
• Use care around downed power lines. Assume a down wire is a live wire.
• Check in with your neighbors, especially those that may need assistance.
• Help dig out fire hydrants and storm drains in your neighborhood.
• If you live on a corner, clear a path from the sidewalk to the street. If not precisely on the corner, as close to the corner as you can get.
• Avoid parking too close to corners, allowing Public Safety vehicles and plows to maneuver safely.
• Be aware of children playing in the streets, particularly climbing on or running out from behind large snowdrifts. Parents should remind their children to be aware of plowing operations and traffic.
• Clear exhaust vents from Direct Vent Gas Furnace Systems to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Never run an automobile until exhaust pipe has been cleared of snow.
• Make sure backup generators are well ventilated.
• Take your time shoveling. Avoid overexertion.
• For homes heated by oil please be sure a safe route is available for delivery to your oil fill pipe.
• Clear flat roofs and decks to prevent accumulation of snow/ice over the season. Read safety tips here.

Trash/Recycling Delayed

Trash and recycling pickup will be delayed by one day for the rest of the week. If your normal trash day is Thursday, it will be picked up on Friday this week. If your trash day is Friday, it will be picked up on Saturday.

Yard waste collection has ended for the season. Residents are asked to remove any uncollected yard waste from the curb to make way for snow operations. There is one more morning drop off for leftover yard waste on Saturday, Dec. 19 from 9 a.m. to noon at DPW, 51 Grove Street.

Yard waste collection resumes in April 2021.

How Much Snow Will We Get?

Snow will start falling across Massachusetts between 7 and 11 p.m. Wednesday, and by the time it ends midday Thursday, most parts of the state will have been blanketed with 8 to 14 inches, according to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service in Boston.

Snow will be light and fluffy in most parts of the state, but it could be heavier and wetter in southeastern Massachusetts and on Cape Cod.

Cape Cod will see lower snowfall totals than the rest of the state, with rain mixing in with the snow early Thursday morning. Wind gusts of up to 40 miles per hour mean several parts of Massachusetts could see blizzard conditions.

Snowfall will be heaviest between midnight and 8 a.m. Thursday. The snow will stop between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Thursday as the storm moves from west to east across Massachusetts.

(Anyone with fun, socially distanced snow photos can send them to [email protected] for possible publication. Please include permission for Patch to publish the photos.)

Check back with Arlington Patch for updates on how the snowstorm will impact your community.

>>>See Also: MA Snowstorm: Road Cleanup Could Take Longer Than Usual