Snowy Mix Expected to Impact Wednesday Morning Commute

The potential for accumulation is light, but the times it's expected could cause some headaches.

Just when you'd gotten used to 60-degree days, Old Man Winter reappears. Plan some extra time into your Wednesday morning commute as forecasters at WHDH are calling for a light snowy, rainy mix to begin falling at about 4 a.m. and continue throughout the day. According to Jeremy Reiner on the WHDH weather blog, this isn't expected to be a major storm, nor is he calling for the snow to fly faster than the plows can handle it. "It won't be a big, bad storm that gets a name or anything like that but it will create some issues for us," Reiner writes. WHDH's snow accumulation map shows areas around I-95 could see anywhere from 1-4 inches. The closer you get to the coast, the less snow is expected, with mostly rain expected within 2 miles of the…

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Live Snow Blog: Snow Emergency Ends at 6 p.m.

The normal winter parking ban from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. is still in place.

Updated 5 p.m. The snow emergency and corresponding parking ban will be lifted as of 6 p.m. Remember, though, the usual winter overnight parking ban is still in place from 2 a.m. to  6 a.m. 3:39 p.m. Newton North's Theatre Ink has postponed tonight's performance of Growing Up Again to Sunday at 7:30 p.m. All Friday tickets will be honored Sunday. Tickets can be purchased online. 2:22 p.m. The John M. Barry Boys & Girls Club of Newton will open today at 2:30 p.m. and stay open until regular closing time at 9 p.m. The Mighty Mite basketball games will run as scheduled.  2:00 p.m. The Newton North boys and girls varsity basketball games that were scheduled to take place in Needham today have been postponed until tomorrow. Both teams will play…

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Forecasters: Friday Morning Commute Could Get Ugly (UPDATED)

Newton could get three to five inches of snow starting late tonight.

Update: 4:30 p.m. The National Weather Service has now increased its estimated snow totals to five to eight inches. The winter weather warning is in effect from 2 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday. -- A coastal storm could bring dump three to five inches of snow over most of Southern New England starting tonight, with the heaviest snow falling during the Friday morning commute. “Snow covered roads will create hazardous travel conditions,” the National Weather Service warned in a weather advisory issued early this morning. “The morning commute may be significantly impacted.” The service also warned that an arctic air mass is likely to bring subzero temperatures to much of southern New England on Saturday and Sunday nights. Daytime temperatures are not …

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Green Newton

Snow Blowers? Not So Green

After a blizzard, it's tempting to just buy a snow blower to get rid of it all. Unfortunately, it's not the greenest method of moving snow.

Last week I discussed rock salt and how using it to deice your sidewalks is bad for the environment. It might have left you wondering how snow blowers fare on the scale of green.  Snow blowers can be very bad for the environment, as many use energy and some also pollute the air.   Gas-powered snow blowers are the worst, because they emit pollutants from their exhaust. The EPA has even named snow blowers as a big source of air pollution.  Gas snow blowers with two-stroke engines are less efficient than snow blowers with four-stroke engines. Four-stroke snow blowers also release less emissions, according to the EPA.   The greenest option is to forgo all snow blowers and just use shovels. But, I know that we live in a busy society and some …

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Green Newton

A Salty Situation

Even though rock salt is the easiest way to deice roads and sidewalks, it is detrimental to the environment.

Almost everybody uses rock salt, or sodium chloride, as a deicer this time of year.  It's inexpensive, easy to use and effective.  Unfortunately, as convenient as it is, rock salt is bad for the environment.  It can kill trees, contaminate waterways and poison wildlife.  Worst of all, it doesn't evaporate or even break down; it accumulates.   In 1999, Environment Canada and Health Canada recommended that salt deicer be listed as "toxic" under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, but it's still used almost everywhere in the U.S., including Newton. Some deicing products are considered eco-friendly, but are still hazardous to the environment.  Calcium chloride and magnesium chloride are often advertised as "greener" choices, and while …

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Newton Declares Snow Emergency

Parking ban starts at 2 p.m.

[Updated: 9:19 p.m.] The city declared a snow emergency earlier this afternoon and a parking ban is in place as of 2 p.m. During the snow emergency, parking is prohibited on city streets and in municipal lots.  For more information or to report issues around town, Newton residents can dial 3-1-1 from any land line or 617-796-1000. Residents can also contact police with any problems at 617-796-2100. The City of Newton website recommends these tips for removing snow near your home: The National Weather Service is predicting heavy snowfall for the area tonight and tomorrow morning, with forecasters estimating more than a foot will be dumped on the region. "Widespread" power outages are also expected and residents are encouraged to charge …

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