A warming shelter will open at noon in Marshfield and police are able to provide transportation for residents and pets.
MARSHFIELD - With three hours before high tide, it was all hands on deck at the Marshfield Emergency Operations Center. Police officers, four members of the National Guard, an Eversource liaison, public works employees and other town employees were discussing strategy while rain pounded the windows of the large center attached to the police department.
"Our emergency operations center is fully staffed and operational," Police Chief Phillip Tavares said. "We have trained and planned for any event we should experience... If it's predictable, it's preventable."
A blizzard warning is in place until 7 p.m. this evening, with snow accumulations of 8 to 14 inches expected. Weather is expected to shift from rain to snow in Marshfield starting at 11 a.m.
Wind gusts as high as 65 mph are expected to cause whiteout conditions and blowing snow.
Police ask residents to avoid roads during high tide, expected to come around 12:40 p.m., especially near seawalls. Police Chief Tavares said high tide will not only bring flooding, but that large waves also bring large rocks over the walls.
"It's crazy to go even anywhere near the seawalls," he said.
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Tavares said Furnace Brook Middle School will be opened as a warming station at noon for Marshfield residents. The Marshfield Animal Shelter on Clay Pit Road will take animals evacuated from homes.
Police will provide transportation for both people and pets from their homes to the animal shelter and warming center. For a ride, call 781-834-6655 ext. 414.
"A lot of people who may want to leave their homes are reluctant to do so because they don’t want to leave a pet behind, but now the shelter is equipped to take them," Tavares said.
The Department of Public Works has been pre-treating roads since 4 a.m.
The National Guard has been stationed at the emergency operations center since 5:30 a.m. and are equipped with two, five-ton tactical vehicles capable of high-water rescue operations.
Eversouce has line trucks stationed at Marshfield High School and an Eversource liasion is at the police station.
In Scituate, the a shelter has been open at Scituate High School since 7 a.m. Humarock residents only are welcome at an additional shelter at Humarock Boat House, 10 Marshfield Ave.
The Scituate Animal Shelter is open for emergency boarding, as well as providing food, leashes, crates, collars or other supplies.
The MBTA parking lots at Greenbush and North Scituate are available to hold vehicles.
Estimates predict more than 12 inches of snow in Scituate, with a potential wind chill of -15 to -35 degrees.
A wind chill watch will begin Friday evening and remain in effect through Sunday afternoon.