Woonsocket Under Blizzard Watch — Stay Informed

This weekend, just a couple days after the 35th anniversary of the Blizzard of '78, New England is expected to get a new blizzard.

Forecasters say snow will begin Friday morning, possibly mixing with rain in the afternoon, before returning Friday night to heavy, wet snow that could fall at a rate of up to 3 inches an hour, according to the National Weather Service. The height of the storm is expected to hit late Friday night into Saturday morning, continuing into the afternoon Saturday.

Snowfall in Woonsocket could range between 10 – 18 inches with the potential of 12 – 24 inches in areas.  Northeasterly winds of 25 – 35 mph may gust as high as 50 mph, resulting in downed trees and power outages.

Keep an eye on updated weather conditions with the Woonsocket Patch Weather Page. And check Woonsocket Patch for storm information posted as soon as it comes in.

Drivers who want to stay apprised of local traffic bans and advisories can sign up with the Woonsocket Police Department's Nixle service, allowing the WPD to send messages to subscribed residents instantly via cell phone text message and/or email. 

Parents [and students] looking for the quickest and easiest way to know whether their school is affected can sign up with The Rhode Island Broadcasting Association's text alert web page, for text message and email alerts as well.

Rhode Island school districts including the Woonsocket School Department and private schools like Beacon Charter High School are included in the RIBA list.

To sign up, users are required to provide a name and ZIP code, as well as a phone number or email address. The system will then send a test email or text message, and in the case of text messages, include a code to enter to confirm sign-up.