WEATHER ALERT: Near Blizzard Conditions Forecast for Manchester

By David Gurliacci (Patch Staff) and Brian McCready (Patch Staff)

This time it appears you really do want to go out and buy the bread, milk and eggs, as a “Winter Storm Watch” is in effect for Manchester and much of Connecticut from Monday afternoon through Tuesday evening.

“Travel may become difficult, if not impossible, and near blizzard conditions [are] possible” across much of the state, according to the Winter Storm Watch statement from the National Weather Service.

After a pedestrian winter up until yesterday, which saw a decent snowfall across the state of 4-8 inches, Mother Nature seems to be making up for lost time.

The National Weather Service’s Manchester-specific forecast (as of 11:53 a.m., Sunday) says 7 to 10 inches of snow could accumulate here on Monday night, but there’s no snow-total prediction for Tuesday (when “snow could be heavy at times”) or Tuesday night (“snow likely”).

Then there’s the wind. It will be windy in town from now through Monday, according to the weather service, and then it will get worse: 10 to 20 mph with gusts as high as 36 mph Monday night; with 18 to 21 mph winds and gusts as high as 44 mph on Tuesday. The “Winter Storm Watch” says you should expect “considerable blowing and drifting of snow.”

There is a good bet for power outages somewhere in Connecticut as winds across the state will be between 10-20 miles per hour and gusting up to 50 miles per hour in some spots.

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See also:

• 19 Power Outage Tips for Winter
• Safety Tips to Survive a Blizzard

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The National Weather Service writes this about the potential storm “impacts … heavy snow and strong winds will result in considerable blowing and drifting snow. Travel may become difficult if not impossible and near blizzard conditions possible.”

NBC Connecticut Meteorologist Ryan Hanrahan writes on his personal blog, “This storm is shaping up to be a beauty. A classic New England snowstorm that will produce gusty winds, heavy snow, and possibly more than a foot of accumulation.”

“The worst of the storm will likely be Monday night and Tuesday morning. Our computer models show the potential for wind gusts over 60 mph in southeastern Connecticut during the height of the storm,” Hanrahan writes. “This one will be big…”

Here’s the Manchester-specific forecast from the National Weather Service (as of 11:51 a.m., Sunday, for hourly updates click here):

• Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 34. Northwest wind around 11 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.
• Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 11. Northwest wind 5 to 8 mph becoming calm in the evening.
• Monday: A chance of snow, mainly after 3 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 24. North wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
• Monday night: Snow likely before 11 p.m., then snow with areas of blowing snow after 11pm. The snow could be heavy at times. Low around 18. Blustery, with a northeast wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New snow accumulation of 7 to 11 inches possible.
• Tuesday: Snow with areas of blowing snow. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 23. Blustery, with a north wind 18 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 44 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent.
• Tuesday night: Snow likely, mainly before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 14. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent.
• Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 24.
• Wednesday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 11.
• Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 30.
• Thursday night: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.
• Friday: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 32. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.
• Friday night: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 12. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
• Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 23.