Not for nuthin'…. But….. at 7:20 this morning it was clear as a bell at Beverly airport, 45 degrees, barely a breath of wind. Don't be fooled. Out at the Boston buoy it was already blowing 20 knots with 8-foot seas. Yesterday was the checklist. Today the storm is here.
What's in effect for Marblehead (Eastern Essex)
- High Wind Warning, 8 AM today to 2 AM Sunday. Northeast winds 25 to 35 mph, gusts up to 60. NWS says flat out: outages are expected.
- Coastal Flood Warning, 5 PM today to 8 PM Sunday: 1 to 2 feet of water in low spots near the shore.
- High Surf Advisory through 8 PM Sunday: breaking waves 6 to 13 feet.
- Storm Warning, Mass Bay and Ipswich Bay, 11 AM today to 8 PM Saturday: gusts to 55 knots, seas 10 to 14 feet Saturday.
When
- Today: mostly dry, but the wind keeps cranking, with gusts in the 40s. Rain arrives late, Cape first.
- Tonight: rain chances go up, gusts to the mid-50s.
- Saturday: the main event. Gusts near 60, about an inch of rain, and another half inch or more Saturday night.
- Sunday: still wet and windy, but easing. Showers Monday, and sun probably not until Tuesday.
NWS figures 3 to 5 inches region-wide over three days. WBZ says 1 to 3 for most, with isolated 3 to 6. The Cape and Islands catch the worst wind, 45 to 55 mph with 60 possible.
Tides and flooding
High tides at Salem Harbor (Marblehead runs within minutes of it):
- Fri 11:14 PM
- Sat 11:34 AM and 11:54 PM
- Sun 12:10 PM
Saturday's the full Harvest Moon, so tides are already running high, and the wind is stacking roughly 2 to 3 feet of extra water on top. NWS forecasts minor flooding at Boston Harbor for Saturday's midday tide and the one just after midnight, and at Gloucester Saturday midday. The worst is expected south of Boston and on the Cape. Around here, time your trips over the causeway and past Devereux around the tides, not through them.
Power
Every tree on the North Shore still has a full head of leaves, and they catch wind like a mainsail. Eversource says more than 90 percent of its storm outages come from trees, and it's staging crews. If a line comes down, stay 30 feet away and report it.
Cancellations and disruptions
- MBTA: all ferries canceled Saturday and Sunday. Lynn, Winthrop and Quincy boats are out today, too.
- Salem: the city says ferry service is canceled at least through Monday.
- Steamship Authority and Hy-Line: running trip by trip, and SSA is waiving change fees through Sunday.
- King Richard's Faire: closed Saturday and Sunday.
- Red Sox vs. Cubs: doubleheader today at 1:05 and 6:05, with Sunday's game moved up.
- Saturday's Life & Wellness Expo in Danvers: canceled.
- Logan: JetBlue, American and United are waiving change fees for Sept. 25 to 27. Check your flight first.
- Boats: Harbormaster Mark Souza says secure gear, check bilges, inspect pennants, and haul if you can.
MOAM's take
You did the checklist yesterday. Today's job is simple: stay off the rocks. The surf at Fort Sewall and off the Neck will be something to see Saturday, but nobody needs to end up as a clip on the six o'clock news. Watch from the car, top off the coffee, and check on the neighbor whose boat is still on a mooring. This storm is a long grind, not a knockout punch, and we've taken worse.
MOAM Out.
Sources
- NWS Boston/Norton: active alerts, Eastern Essex (MAZ007)
- NWS Boston/Norton: Area Forecast Discussion (2:59 AM, Sept. 25)
- NWS Boston/Norton: Coastal Hazard Message (7:20 AM, Sept. 25)
- NWS marine forecast: Massachusetts Bay and Ipswich Bay (ANZ251)
- NWS point forecast: Marblehead
- NOAA tide predictions: Salem Harbor
- NOAA buoy 44013 (Boston)
- WBZ/CBS Boston: nor'easter timeline and maps
- NBC Boston: rain, wind and coastal flooding
- Marblehead Independent: Marblehead braces for rare September nor'easter
- Marblehead Current: harbormaster's advice
- Boston Globe: utilities brace for outages
- Boston.com: nor'easter live updates
- MBTA: ferry service changes
- Salem News: region braces for nor'easter
- Danvers Patch: Life & Wellness Expo canceled
- Steamship Authority: service updates
