07-02-2025
Yep, it's winter. Not 1, 2 but 3 storms on the way
Feb. 6—Snow shuttered schools and coated roads Thursday in the first of three predicted snowstorms over a week's span.
Thursday's snowstorm — coming on the 47th anniversary of the Blizzard of '78 — was forecast to be followed by a second storm expected late Saturday into Sunday that could dump more snow than what fell Thursday. A third one could hit during the middle of next week.
But there are "no blizzards of '78 on the horizon," said John Cannon, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine.
With most snow totals as of early afternoon, Newport led the pack with 5 inches. Portsmouth recorded 3.2 while Manchester and Bedford received 3 inches, according to the weather service. Concord had 2.9 inches and Nashua 1.8.
Before the storm, Concord had received 18.4 inches of snow so far this winter, about half the normal amount.
"We're pretty far below normal, but we're going to make a run on it in the next week or two, getting closer to normal," Cannon said.
Police and plows were out trying to keep the roads safe.
State Police responded to "a handful of crashes during the morning commute" and more in the afternoon, according to State Police spokesman Tyler Dumont. No serious injuries were reported.
In Atkinson, fire officials say a woman was hospitalized after she was hit by a plow truck Thursday afternoon.
The incident happened at 12:42 p.m. on Pope Road in Atkinson. Emergency crews found the victim under the plow truck after she was hit and run over by the truck.
Captain Jeff Douphinette said the victim was removed and transported by Trinity Paramedics to Lawrence General Hospital.
Atkinson police were investigating the incident Thursday night.
Volume was lighter than normal on roads since most schools and many workers stayed home.
WMUR-TV reported nearly 800 cancellations and delays by mid-morning, including hundreds of schools.
By mid-afternoon, FlightAware reported four flights canceled and another 13 delayed at the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport.
Rich Nunziato, lead foreman at the Raymond Highway Department, said his crews pre-treated the roads.
"We've got ice coming in after this, so we're going to leave the roads snow-covered, so the ice" won't stick to the roads, Nunziato said.
He expected the town's 10 plows to use about 96 tons of salt and about the same amount of sand during the storm. He said he has another 96 tons of salt slated to be delivered Friday.
Nunziato said Public Works Director Stacey Grella brought the drivers "blizzard bags" filled with snacks and drinks to help get through the long hours.
