RI prepares for first snowstorm of the season: Wet snow could knock out power

Rhode Island is preparing for what forecasters are saying could be the first major snowstorm to hit the Northeast in two years.

Forecasters are still trying to zero in on the exact track of the storm and how much precipitation will fall as snow, but commercial forecaster AccuWeather is saying Northwest Rhode Island could get 6 to 12 inches of snow. It's forecasting 3 to 6 for the middle of the state and 1 to 3 along the coast.

The National Weather Service says the highest probability of 6 or more inches of snow, 40% to 70%, is northwest of Interstate 95. Areas to the south and east of the major highway have less than a 40% chance of that much snow because warmer temperatures increase the likelihood of rain.

How are cities and towns around RI prepping for the storm?

Cities and towns near the highway, where rain could mix with snow, face the greatest chances of power problems, the weather service says in its forecast discussion Thursday.

"This will also be the location where heavy, wet snow falls somewhere and coupled with strong winds, we could have potential power outages," the weather service says.

More: Weekend snowstorm could drop up to a foot of snow. Here's how much your RI town could get.

The timing of the storm should work to the advantage of road crews and residents since the storm is likely to start late Saturday into Sunday.

Will Rhode Island lose power during the storm?

Rhode Island Energy has been monitoring forecasts and will have extra crews ready to respond this weekend, according to spokesman Ted Kresse.

"We are watching for increased winds, but the heavy wet snow could also be a factor in bringing down trees and limbs resulting in outages," Kresse said. "Regardless, we do plan on having additional coverage throughout the state over the weekend, and we’ll adjust those plans as we get more clarity on potential impacts."

East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva said the city's highway department will use a new method to pretreat streets. It will spray salt brine on the streets before the storm.

If Rhode Islanders do lose power, check the Journa's online outage map.

More: NOAA releases winter weather prediction for Rhode Island. What to know.

"The salt brine system is more effective at covering the roadway surface, better at preventing ice and more cost effective than traditional salt application," DaSilva said in a Facebook post. "You may see one of these trucks spraying liquid on the street surface prior to the actual snowfall this weekend. The salt brine will cover the street surface, dry and become activated once snow makes contact with it."

Some cities and towns such as Pawtucket are likely to ban parking on city streets if the storm does hit. Pawtucket has published a list, available on its website, of places where residents should put their cars if a ban is announced.

Does your town have a parking ban? Here's where to leave your car during a snowstorm in RI

The storm will likely affect travel along roads and at airports throughout much of the Northeast, according to AccuWeather.

"From Saturday to Sunday, a swath of 3 to 6 inches of snow is projected to fall from the Smoky Mountains through much of northern and eastern West Virginia on northeastward to interior southern New England," AccuWeather says.

The storm could drop higher totals, 6 to 12 inches, in several areas, including Northwest Rhode Island, Northeast Connecticut and Central Massachusetts, according to AccuWeather.

Forecasters are watching another potential storm next week.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI Weather: Heavy, wet snow could bring power outages this weekend