Storm Update: Snow Tapers Off, Snow Totals Counted

Updated 9:50 p.m. Saturday

A snow hole created by dry air over the state has given some Rhode Islanders a glimpse of the full moon.

Snow will fade in and out with varying strength before finally stopping for good after midnight.

Snow measurements are being reported and collected by the National Weather Service and it appears the final numbers will be impressive. As expected, southern communities were hit the hardest with Narragansett getting 9.5 inches at 6:26 p.m., Westerly with 9 at 6:55 p.m. and the village of Rockville in Hopkinton receiving 10 inches as early as 6:08 p.m.

Coventry has more than 10 inches as of 9:30 p.m., Warwick had 8.5 at around the same time, Portsmouth was at around 6.5 at around 6:30 p.m.

We’ll have a better look at the final numbers tomorrow.

Updated 4:19 p.m. Saturday

Snow is falling at a steady clip in Rhode Island and some areas are experiencing intermittent whiteout conditions Saturday afternoon.

Low visibility and slippery road conditions has already led to a smattering of crashes, though so far only minor injuries have been reported. A Chevy Blazer lost control and flipped on Hope Avenue in Cranston but the driver was uninjured. A minivan and a tractor trailer collided in North Kingstown. A car lost control in East Greenwich between Exits 7 and 8. And other reports of crashes continued into the evening hours.

The National Weather Service’s latest guidance as of 3:49 p.m. has lowered the projected snowfall totals for the East Bay and Aquidneck Island by a few inches, from 10 to 14 to 8 to 10 as compared to the morning forecast. Otherwise, the southern half will see more snow than the north with 10 to 14 inches in Washington an Kent Counties, 8 to 10 in Kent and Providence County and 6 to 8 near the Massachusetts border.

The snow has led to a slew of closings and cancellations across the state. The Rhode Island Broadcasters Association site is the best place to check since that’s where all statewide media outlets get their info.

The conditions are terrible for driving and local and the Rhode Island State Police are asking people to stay off the roads if possible. The state police remind motorists that headlights should be on in the snow, even during daylight hours.

Updated 10:45 a.m. Saturday

Expected snowfall totals have been upped again and the National Weather Service has expanded a Winter Storm Warning to encompass all of Rhode Island.

Coastal communities like Narragansett and Newport could now see upwards of 14 inches of snow on Saturday into Sunday and Kent and Providence counties will see up to 10 inches by Sunday afternoon, the weather service said.

Accumulations on average will range from 6 to 10 inches. See the map below:

The Winter Storm Warning is in effect until 7 p.m. Sunday.

As it stands, Rhode Island will see appreciable snowfall across the entire state and coastal areas could see blizzard-like conditions on Saturday afternoon.

A Blizzard warning is in place for Block Island, which has been battered by strong winds, causing power outages.

The first flakes began to fall at around 10 a.m. in Newport and Narragansett.

All week, Rhode Island has sat squarely on the top edge of the storm’s projected course, which explains why snowfall projections have been extremely difficult to nail down and varied so much over the past few days.

The storm is unlikely to begin to rival the “snowmageddon” Rhode Island experienced around this time last year and Governor Gina Raimondo was told by state Emergency Management Agency officials on Friday that the state expects minor impacts and it is unlikely there will be travel bans.

“My number one priority as Governor is keeping everyone safe, and I am monitoring winter weather closely in coordination with our state agencies,” Raimondo said. “With snow and winds expected this weekend, I want to remind all Rhode Islanders to prepare for any potential power outages, make a family communications plan, and check on loved ones and neighbors who may need help. As you make weekend plans, please be sure to stay informed and watch news and social media closely for updates.”

The state Emergency Operations Center will be activated on Saturday to help coordinate efforts in any emergencies arise, said RIEMA Director Peter Gaynor.

Among the concerns are power outages, coastal flooding and erosion and other damage caused by strong winds with gusts that could reach 50 mph along the coast.

To report a power outage, do not call 911. Call National Grid at 1-800-465-1212.

We’ll be posting updates and alerts through the weekend.

You can send storm-related cancellations and info to mark.schieldrop@patch.com

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• Barrington
• Bristol-Warren
• Coventry
• East Greenwich
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• Newport
• Portsmouth
• Tiverton-Little Compton
• Middletown
• Woonsocket
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• Narragansett-South Kingstown
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Here’s the National Weather Service’s Boston office on Twitter: