Arctic blast zeroes in on state, with harsh conditions forecast
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Feb. 2—The state is bracing for an unprecedented blast of cold weather Friday into Saturday, with wind chills of 35 below zero or lower predicted and residents urged to hunker down for up to three days in the face of harsh conditions and possible power outages.
"This is going to be a cold weather crisis from Seabrook to Colebrook," Gov. Chris Sununu said Thursday at a news conference at the Concord Fire Department.
The cold blast should exit quickly and be mostly gone by day's end Saturday, according to National Weather Service forecasters. "It's a tight window, but it going to get pretty extreme here so fast," Sununu said.
The Manchester School District canceled school Friday citing "extremely cold temperatures." There is no remote learning.
"Temperatures will already be dangerously low in the morning, but will drop significantly throughout the day," school officials said in a statement. "The temperature at dismissal is expected to be around 5 degrees with a wind chill of -15 degrees. In these conditions, frostbite can develop in as little as 30 minutes. This is simply too cold for students who walk home."
The governor said he had no plans to declare a state of emergency or to activate the National Guard to help communities deal with the state's homeless population, but the Guard is ready.
According to the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine, the high pressure front will bring wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph late Friday night into early Saturday in southern and central New Hampshire, reaching 45 to 55 mph in the mountains.
Friday's high temperature will be in the single digits, dipping below zero in the evening for most of the state. The coldest readings are expected very early Saturday: minus 25 to minus 35 degrees Fahrenheit in northern Grafton and Coos counties, and minus 10 to minus 15 across central and southern New Hampshire, not factoring in wind chill.
Daytime temperatures will drop below zero in the mountains and north, with a daytime high of minus 15 in Coos. Single digits are predicted for central and southern New Hampshire. In Rockingham County and along the Massachusetts border, temperatures will hover in the low teens, according to the weather service.
The National Weather Service issued a wind chill warning from 1 a.m. Friday through 1 p.m. Saturday for central and southern New Hampshire, and through 1 a.m. Sunday for northern parts of the state. The wind chill factor Friday morning will be at or below zero statewide. Friday night into Saturday morning, some spots could experience wind chills of 35 degrees below or colder.
On Thursday afternoon, Sarah Thunberg at the National Weather Service said winds could be strong enough to bring down dead branches, and power lines with them. "It's always a possibility, but we're not expecting widespread power outages."
Sununu urged residents to stay indoors but to check on their neighbors.
"We are tough, we are resilient about our weather, but that is because we are prepared," Sununu said
Outdoor activities
Sponsors canceled many outdoor events across the state Saturday, though the Pond Hockey Classic in Meredith was still on as of late Thursday.
McIntyre Ski Area in Manchester will be closed Friday, reopening Saturday at 11 a.m., said General Manager Ross Boisvert.
Loon Mountain plans to keep lifts running Friday and Saturday. Friday night snow tubing is canceled, along with a freestyle mogul competition scheduled this weekend. "High winds can impact these operations. We'll make changes as needed," said Loon manager Kevin Bell.
Gunstock Mountain in Gilford will be open Friday and Saturday, including for night skiing, according to General Manager Tom Day. "There are going to be people who still want to ski," said Day, who expects below-normal crowds on Saturday. "When the snow squeaks when it's this cold, it's good skiing. We make sure people getting on the lifts are dressed properly."
Jay Broccolo, director of weather operations for the Mt. Washington Observatory, said winds could get as high as 110 miles per hour on the summit.
He urged citizens to suspend all hiking activities this weekend all over the state.
"The weather being forecasted is looking pretty gnarly, even for our standards," Broccolo said.
Christine Santaniello, associate commissioner with the Department of Health and Human Services, said the state has 750 beds in 18 homeless shelters and another 350 beds available from "cold weather stations" that eight community organizations have set up in all 10 counties.
The state had no estimate of how many of these shelter beds are already filled.
The emergency shelter locations are:
—Southwestern Community Services, 96 Main St., Claremont.
—Salvation Army McKenna House, 100 S. Fruit St., Concord.
—My Friend's Place, 368 Washington St., Dover.
—Seacoast Family Promise, 27 Hampton Road, Exeter.
—New Generation, 568 Portsmouth Ave., Greenland.
—Hundred Nights Inc., 17 Lamson St., Keene.
—Southwestern Community Services, 63 Community Way, Keene.
—Salvation Army Carey House, 6 Spring St., Laconia.
—Tyler Blain House, 56 Prospect St., Lancaster.
—Burch House, 25 Mountain Brook Circle, Lincoln.
—Families in Transition — New Horizons, 122 Market St., Manchester.
—Angie's Place, 434 Union St., Manchester.
—Families in Transition, 136 Lowell St., Manchester.
—Helping Hands Outreach, 50 Lowell St., Manchester.
—Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter, 2 Quincy St., Nashua.
—Bridge House, 260 Highland St., Plymouth.
—Cross Roads House, 600 Lafayette Road, Portsmouth.
—Friends Emergency Housing, 130 Pembroke Road, Suite 200, Concord.
Staff reporter Paul Feely contributed to this report.
