SALISBURY — Winter is about to remind folks that it hasn’t gone away with up to a foot of snow expected to fall in Greater Newburyport throughout much of Tuesday.
“Although we don’t anticipate a record-breaking snowfall, our administration has been taking early steps to ensure we are prepared to keep the people of Massachusetts safe – and we encourage everyone to do the same,” Gov. Maura Healey said during a press conference Monday afternoon.
Healey, who told state workers not to hit the roads during the storm, issued a safety advisory across the state noting that an estimated 8-to-12 inches of snow is expected to fall before winding down Tuesday evening.
“I’m asking Massachusetts residents to take steps to protect yourselves and your loved ones by making sure your homes stay safely heated and traveling on roads with extra care,” Healey said.
Adding to the potential headaches faced by regional officials as they endeavor to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles, is a high tide during the height of the storm leading to the very real possibility of coastal flooding.
In Salisbury, Sgt. Jim Leavitt said that they will have increased patrols during the storm.
“I know with the recent flooding in the central part of the beach area, we try to keep traffic down to a minimum and if it starts to look flooded, don’t try to go through it,” Leavitt said.
Flooding has been an issue since the start of the year, with Leavitt noting some parts of town have been hit harder than others.
“The areas just east of the police department and the central part of the beach have been really taking a pounding,” Leavitt said.
The repeated flooding and severe storms have also resulted in severe erosion and at Salisbury Beach.
The issue at Salisbury Beach has been going on for some time, dating back to December 2022 when the initial damage from Nor’easter Elliot occurred.
Local leaders first learned during a Salisbury Beach Resiliency Subcommittee meeting May 4, 2023, that the Department of Conservation and Recreation had shut down points 8, 9 and 10 for a year due to beach erosion caused by the Nor’easter.
Points 9 and 10 were reopened the Friday before Memorial Day, with point 8 restored just before the Fourth of July. Now, all three are once again closed as a result of storm damage.
As town and state officials have tried to come up with a long-term solution to replace the sand at the beach, in the short-term residents have been able to hire H.A. Richard & Son’s contractor Henry Richard Jr. to bring sand onto their beach properties.
With Richard’s work of replacing sand only a week underway, Salisbury Selectmen Vice Chairman Michael Colburn explained his main concern is the loss of more sand.
“We still have not gotten an answer from the state. The governor has not declared an emergency yet,” Colburn said.
He said that DCR Commisioner Brian Arrigo has been sympathetic but only has so much power.
“There are people above him that he has to answer to,” Colburn said.
Well before the first snowflake hit the ground, school officials across the state announced classes had been cancelled for the day. Among the communities making the call early were Amesbury, Everett, Boston, Salem and Peabody.
Amesbury Mayor Kassandra Gove declared a snow emergency Monday afternoon effective 5 a.m Tuesday., and ending at 7 p.m. that day. Street parking and in downtown surface lots will not be permitted during that time.
In Newburyport, Mayor Sean Reardon explained the city would have a parking ban starting at 3 a.m. Tuesday. He said that despite declining estimates for snow fall they will keep the snow emergency active.
“We will continue to monitor and make a determination of schools and public buildings later this evening,” Reardon said, Monday afternoon.