Follow along for updates all day long from Herald News Staff
Delayed opening Friday for BCC
5:45 p.m. -- BCC has just announced that all campuses will have a delayed start Friday of 10 a.m. Visit bristolcc.edu for more updates.
Snow day photosWe've just posted a number of photos from today's storm. Take a look at the gallery here and share yours on our Facebook page.
Westport schools closed Friday3:27 p.m. - We've now received word that Westport schools will be closed on Friday. For a full list of closures click here.
Fall River schools closed Friday2:34 p.m. - The superintendent's office has announced there will be no school in the Fall River public school system for Friday.
Power outage update2:41 p.m. - The following power outages were being reported in the area as of about 2:40 p.m., according to National Grid and Eversource.
DARTMOUTH: 463 customers are without power.
FALL RIVER: No power outages reported.
FREETOWN: 2 customers are without power.
SOMERSET: No power outages reported.
SWANSEA: 65 power outages reported.
WESTPORT: 43 customers are without power.
Brayton Avenue shutdown1:38 p.m. - A call has come across the police scanner to close down Brayton Avenue and a wrecked is being called in. No specific details, but best to avoid the area.
Correia calls on people to stay off Fall River roads1:28 p.m. - The police scanner is full of calls right now regarding cars that have become stuck in the snow, including some police cruisers. With plows trying to keep up as the snow falls quickly and even appears to be getting heavier, Mayor Jasiel Correia II has just put out a call for people to stay off the roads.
"If you're at home, stay at home; if you have plans, cancel them; if you're at work, stay at work; to give us a chance to clean the roads," Correia said.
Bus service suspended
1:20 p.m. - The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority announced it was suspending service at 2 p.m. Thursday because of the storm.
The Southeastern Regional Transit Authority suspended service Thursday beginning at 9:30 a.m. on some routes. The last route to run was the 10:35 a.m. Route 9, which runs through the Flint and Bedford Street.
Generator safety12:58 p.m. - So far there are few reports of power outages, but just in case they do state the Swansea Fire Department has shared some tips for safely operating a generator.
No tractor trailer trucks on R.I. highways
12:35 p.m. - Gov. Gina Raimondo just announced a ban on tractor trailer trucks until 9 p.m. tonight. The decision comes amid reports of multiple trucks jackknifing on highways.
Governor Raimondo has ordered a ban on travel for tractor trailer trucks starting at noon until 9:00 PM tonight on all state roads. Stay off the roads and stay safe!#GraysonRI
— RI State Police (@RIStatePolice)January 4, 2018Snow jackpot winner is...12:31 p.m. - Based on the noon report from the National Weather Service the high snow point in the region is North Dighton, with 9.5 inches reported.
How much snow are you seeing?
[Latest Reports] It's not perfect as we're missing observations from particular areas and surrounding offices, but here's a rough sketch of observed snowfall and maximum wind gusts; latest summary:https://t.co/EcX8kbFmL8 ... thanks everyone for all your reports!pic.twitter.com/bvoYa3MBv9
— NWS Boston (@NWSBoston)January 4, 2018Roads are bad12:23 p.m. - Some roads are passable. Many are not. Here's a photo of one driver trying, unsuccessfully, to get onto I-195 from Plymouth Avenue.
Trying unsuccessfully to get on the highway in #FallRiver pic.twitter.com/1LdWVXiE4F
— Jo Goode (@jgoodeHN) January 4, 2018// // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // Good news, bad news12:17 p.m. - The National Weather Service has just provided an update on when the snow is likely to stop. That's the good news.
The bad news? It. Is. Going. To. Get. Cold.
[END TIME] Looking at snow impacts ending this afternoon into evening; concern shifts towards cold air surging into the region, potential impacts especially for those who might have lost power; WIND CHILL WATCH in effect beginning Friday eveningpic.twitter.com/UmMJkiWIRB
— NWS Boston (@NWSBoston)January 4, 2018Police are urging people to stay off the roads11:40 a.m.
Many roads are impassable. Please do not drive.
— Somerset Police (@SomersetPD)January 4, 2018Good afternoon Tiverton. Please stay off of the roads. It is white out conditions with some roads impassable....https://t.co/CFjNxfnkoP
— Tiverton Police (@tivertonpolice)January 4, 2018The view from outside
11:30 a.m. - FALL RIVER – There is a half foot of snow on the ground and more piling up fast at 11:15.
Visibility is down to about 100 yards.
Plows have one lane open on major streets. Four wheel drive vehicles are getting bogged down on side streets. Even 4-W-D have to struggle through snow piles at intersections.
The wind has the snow blowing almost horizontally from the north.
Bruins game canceled
11:05 a.m. From our news partners WCVB
#BreakingNews: tonight's Bruins game against the FL Panthers has been postponed due to the winter storm#WCVB
— antoinette antonio (@antoinetteA)January 4, 2018Picture Show movie theater closing10:51 a.m. - They tried to keep the movies going, but the snow has won out.
Frosty the newsman10:47 a.m. - Our Marc Munroe Dion went outside. A snowman returned.
Marc Dion, after a short walk through downtown#FallRiver. More storm news in The Herald News.pic.twitter.com/Jaag7z1Voe
— Kevin P. O'Connor (@HNKPO)January 4, 2018On the roadPower outage links
10:28 a.m.
Should you lose power here are the links for outage maps and to report outages:
National Grid
Eversource
You can get some alcohol10:15 a.m.
SWANSEA – Yankee Spirits, 207 Swansea Mall Drive, opened Thursday morning, for those willing to venture out for booze.
The store was preparing to close early, probably by 3 p.m., a store employee said.
Vintage Barn Wine and Spirits, 580 GAR Highway, posted on its website that it was closed Thursday and would reopen Friday. At Globe Liquors, 180 President Ave., Fall River, no one answered the phone Thursday morning.
Red’s Wine and Spirits, 150 Brayton Ave., Fall River, and Joe’s Liquors, 90 Eagle St., Fall River, were also among the stores not answering phone calls Thursday morning.
Even Dunkin' Donuts is closing
10:04 a.m. FALL RIVER -- The Dunkin' Donuts on South Main Street near the courthouse shut down about 10 a.m. on Thursday.
You know this #snow is serious business when @dunkindonuts isn't open. This location on North Main Street closed at 10 a.m. #fallriver #blizzard
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In snow...mail delivery continues10 a.m. FALL RIVER -- The U.S. Postal Service is still open and carriers are attempting to deliver mail. There may be early closures.
Storm picking up in Tiverton9:58 a.m. The library remains closed but will be opened as a warming center if power goes out over a large part of town, Fire Chief Robert Lloyd said. Lloyd is the town's emergency management director.
Town Hall is open as an emergency warming center as of 9:45 a.m., he said.
“Activity is starting to pick up,” Lloyd said. “Nothing is storm related, but medical calls are coming in.
“We are asking people to stay home, stay off the road and let the crews do their work.”
Snow day rendition of All that Jazz alerts Swansea students to day off9:47 a.m. - Give credit to Joseph Case High School Principal Brian McCann for this effort in announcing there would be no school in Swansea. And kids don't forget to do your homework.
[WINTER WEATHER HAZARDS] Blizzard Warnings till 7 pm, Winter Storm Warnings till 1 am pic.twitter.com/CHy9m34YwS
— NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) January 4, 2018// // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // //
I shoveled the sidewalk in front of my house this morning. It's probably covered again by now, but I did it, and I'll do it again when I get home. Shovel your sidewalks, Fall River!#FallRiver
— Marc Munroe Dion (@MARCMDION)January 4, 2018Read snow coverage for free9:22 a.m.
As a service to our readers all coverage related to the snow storm will be free.
mWX1BOX @tjdelsanto currently 29 heavy snow in Fall River... pic.twitter.com/nYJqBqGrqL
— Dan73 (@DBranco73) January 4, 2018// // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // //
Some businesses brave the snow9 a.m.
FALL RIVER – The Braga brothers, Charles and Frank, opened their Dunkin Donuts locations at 234 Milliken Blvd., 138 S. Main St., and 540 Brayton Ave., Thursday at 5 a.m.
“I just spoke to my brother, Frank. We are open at all our locations for now,” Charles Braga said at 8:30 a.m.
“We won’t bring our afternoon crews in. We’ll get through the morning and do the best we can. Then we will call it a day.
“We will send people home or I will take them home, one or the other.”
He expects his stores to close between 10 and 11 a.m. Thursday, Braga said.
[9a] Storm is ramping up big time; conditions deteriorating with moderate to heavy snow banding and embedded #thundersnow. This storm is intense! Expect the unexpected. #bombcyclone #bombogenesis pic.twitter.com/bmFkzsMKcO
— NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) January 4, 2018// // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // //
Seth Hockert-Lotz, owner of the Domino’s Pizza, 407 S. Main St., was still trying to decide if he would open Thursday. He said he considered that as he watched the snow quickly accumulate outside his home at 8 a.m.
“It is always a fluid situation with a storm,” he said. “We check our equipment, we check our people and we have studded snow tires going on some of our vehicles right now.”
Domino’s workers were reporting at 8 a.m. to heat up ovens and answer calls. They were also monitoring weather forecasts.
“We always expect to be open,” Hockert-Lotz said. “One thing we look at and work with is our responsibility to deliver meals to our customers. In a case like this, some people can’t get out.
“But I’m responsible to people at both ends, including my employees.”
He said he has been glued to weather forecasts for the past 48 hours. It was still difficult to make a decision Thursday morning.
“We can pull off almost any storm,” he said. “We have done it before.
“But this is a different storm. We haven’t seen one like this before, or at least not for a while. I’m very concerned.”
- Kevin P. O'Connor