Blizzard of 2013

February 8-9, 2013 — Forecasters and computer models combined to accurately predict every aspect of the "Blizzard of 2013" days in advance. However, no matter how well-prepared or forewarned, flooded homes, lost power, sub-freezing temperatures, high winds and up to thirty inches of snow can cause much misery for many days afterward.

The storm raged for about 36 hours, spanning Friday and Saturday. Boston's official 24.9 inches of snow put the city in fifth place in all-time snow depth records. The Massachusetts town of Spencer recorded 30.5 inches. Milford, Connecticut, recorded one of the highest figures in New England at 38 inches. Nearby Westport recorded an 82-mile-per-hour wind gust. Winds reached hurricane force in many areas along the Massachusetts and Rhode Island coast.

In my little corner of the world, I was unable to sleep Friday night as I listened to the wind rattle my windows, fearing a power outage, a dangerous situation with the temperature in the teens. At 5 a.m. Saturday, when it became obvious I wasn't going to sleep anyway, I decided I might as well do something useful, so I got up and dressed, bundled up and went out and shoveled out my entire driveway, walks, back porch and cellar bulkhead. About a foot of snow had accumulated at that time. Thanks to the cold temperature, the snow was powdery and light. At 10 a.m., I did it all over again after about another foot had accumulated. I had to go out one last time in the afternoon and, with the help of a kind neighbor, shoveled out the snowbank the street plow had thrown up at the end of my driveway. By that time, the snow had finally stopped falling. Fortunately, we never lost power in my neighborhood.