Plymouth DPW Prepared for Major Storm

Power outages, coastal flooding, fallen trees and snow up to our eyeballs, that's what the meteorologists are predicting for Friday and Saturday.

Or, it could be a complete washout.

Either way, Plymouth DPW Director Jonathan Beder said his department is ready for whatever comes Plymouth's way.

"We’re gearing up, making sure everything is running...We'll know better in the next 24 hours," he said Wednesday afternoon, just as the National Weather Service issued a blizzard watch for some parts of Southeastern Massachusetts.

The amount of snow Plymouth gets will depend on the nor'easter's track. If it moves west, we'll get less snow on the coast and possibly more rain. If the track is more easterly, that means more snow on the coast with less likelihood of rain.

"I've seen all different forecasts. We have a service that provides us up-to-date forecasts and the last forecast was 12 inches plus. But it changes," Beder said.

The town owns 40 plows and sanders, all of which will be out Friday and Saturday. Plymouth also contracts 90 independent plow trucks, which will be called in if needed.

It's been about two years since the last major winter storm hit Plymouth. The October 2011 storm was the last major snow storm.

"It’s both exciting and exhausting," Beder said. "This is what we do and we’re ready.

The Bert's Landing parking lot is one of the most popular places to watch storms come in, and it can be one of the most dangerous. The seawall at Plymouth Long Beach was severely damaged during the Boxing Day blizzard of 2010.  A storm last year washed out the gravel lot by the beach, which was repaired the next day by DPW crews.

The bluffs in Manomet and Cedarville could see some erosion, but that depends on the storm's severity, particularly at high tide.

A parking ban will be instituted on Downtown streets Friday afternoon, Beder said.

If you need to report fallen trees, flooding, or other issues, check this list of emergency phone numbers.

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