2 Feet of Snow in Portsmouth?

Earlier this week, forecasters were saying that Friday's storm could bring as few as 3 inches of snow to the Portsmouth area.

But that's all changed, as the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for interior and coastal Rockingham County, with a predicted 14 to 24 inches of snow expected to accumulate.

Light snow is expected to start falling tonight, continuing through Friday and into Saturday morning. Snow will be heavy at times Friday night into saturday morning.

A Coastal Flood Watch has also been issued for the Seacoast from Friday through Saturday afternoon.

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Meanwhile, the New Hampshire Department of Homeland Security and Emegency Management is also urging state residents to prepare for Nemo.

“There is still uncertainty about the exact track of this storm, but it seems certain that New Hampshire will experience heavy snowfalls, especially in southern areas,” said Perry E. Plummer, Acting Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, in a prepared statement. “We may also see high wind gusts that could cause scattered power outages.”

In advance of the storm, Plummer urged people to stock up on emergency supplies and take the following precautions:

• Monitor weather conditions via news media, NOAA weather radio or Internet sources.
• Limit road travel during the storm to allow public works crews to clear and treat the roads.
• Anyone who has to drive should slow down and allow extra space between vehicles. Drivers could experience sudden whiteout conditions during high wind gusts.
• Keep vehicle fuel tanks at least half full.
• Monitor snow loading, especially on flat roofs.
• Be a good neighbor and check on the well-being of relatives and acquaintances, especially the elderly or others with special needs.
• If the power goes out:
  • Use flashlights and battery-powered lanterns, not candles, for emergency lighting.
  • Operate emergency generators safely, with exhaust directed away from buildings.
  • Never use outdoor cooking appliances indoors because of the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning.
  • Report the outage to your electric utility.
  • Stay clear of downed wires. Always assume downed power lines are live.

Plummer said the State Emergency Operations Center in Concord will be staffed as needed during the storm.