Here's the latest on the incoming line of snow squalls.
At the time of this writing, a line of intense snow squalls is now pushing into the Albany, New York area and is moving eastward at a forward speed of about 40 mph.
Based on the current forward movement of the snow squalls, here is an approximate timeline of when the snow squalls will begin across Western and Central Mass:
The Berkshires: Between 2:30 pm and 3 pm.
The Upper Pioneer Valley: 3 pm.
The Lower Pioneer Valley: 3:30 pm.
Mass Pike From Ludlow To Brimfield: 3:30 pm to 4 pm. I-84 corridor from CT/MA border to Sturbridge, Route 9 corridor from Worcester to the Brookfields and I-190: 4 pm.
I-395, I-290 & Mass Pike From Auburn To The I-495 Interchange: 4:15 To 4:30 pm.
These snow squalls have already had a history of producing very heavy snow with visibility near zero, wind gusts of up to 50 mph and blizzard conditions for a short period of time. Also there have been 1 to 2 reports of thunder and lightning in western New York State and western Pennsylvania earlier today.
I expect that this line of snow squalls will produce the same kinds of conditions when they move across Western and Central Mass.
It's expected that the snow squalls will last for about 30 minutes or so at any one location.
EXTREMELY POOR TRAVEL CONDITIONS are expected during these snow squalls due to very heavy snow, zero visibility and whiteout conditions. If you can, plan your travel this afternoon so that you are off of the roads during the snow squalls.
If you aren't at home and are on the roads when the snow squalls are about to hit, I very strongly recommend that you pull over at a rest stop, restaurant, gas station or any other appropriate parking area and wait it out. Doing that is always going to beat being involved in a multi vehicle accident. There is NO SAFE PLACE on a highway during a snow squall.
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