Updated 8:36 pm January 5, 2024: Good afternoon All. For those of you I have not spoken with, my name is Bill Howe and I am the President and Program Director for 911Programs. In that regard, in advance of this weekend’s upcoming snowstorm, I am reaching out to provide some helpful information. I will continue to update you over the weekend and will serve as your contact at 911Progeams for any questions, concerns or other support needs throughout this weather event. Feel free to reach out to me directly with questions on my cell phone, (401) 773-7716 As of this morning, the RI Emergency Management Agency reported that the current forecast is as follows: the storm is scheduled to begin Saturday evening between 6:00PM and 9:00PM and end around 7:00-9:00PM on Sunday evening. These time frames, as well as the following details, may shift in the next 24 hours or so. 6-10 inches of snow are predicted for Providence and areas north and west of same overnight on Saturday. 2-4 inches of snow are predicted for coastal areas during the same time-frame. Temperatures will be in the low 30s during the storm and will be in the 20s following the storm. There will be wind gusts, strongest by the coast, up to 40 MPH. Coastal areas will see snow turn to rain during the day Sunay but then back to snow when the rain ends. The snow overall will be wet and could lead to some tree damage. The wind could lead to isolated areas of power outages. At the Governor’s direction, DOT, EMA and Rhode Island Energy have all on-boarded temporary additional crews and are all well-prepared to address issues resulting from the storm. If the time-frame of the storm remains as predicted, DOT reports roads should be in good condition for rush hour on Monday morning. However, they are requesting, but NOT mandating, that drivers stay off the roads on Sunday for driver safety and for their crews to do their work to get the roads safe for driving as soon as possible. Finally, in addition to our efforts to keep you informed, there are some helpful safety tips and resources available at Welcome | Emergency Management Agency (ri.gov). The Governor's Office will be updating conditions, along with any restoration efforts and other relevant information throughout the weekend. You can find that info at https://governor.ri.gov/press-releases, as well as by following the Governor's Office on Twitter, (now X), @govdanmckee, as well as our office @HIgherEdRI for contact information. Thank you. Stay safe over the weekend, and as stated, please feel free to call me directly with questions, concerns
