Weekend storm: Snow-related parking bans, closures and cancellations for the Taunton area

The sidewalks in downtown Taunton were cleared early Friday morning, Jan. 7, 2022 before more snow accumulated.

TAUNTON — A "powerful" winter storm is headed our way, if computer models are to be believed.

Southern New England will get hit with "a high impact winter storm" Saturday, the National Weather Service says. The storm could bring a foot or more of snow and blizzard conditions to the region, according to AccuWeather.

"A winter storm is expected on Saturday," the Weather Service says in a Hazardous Weather Outlook. "Heavy snow, strong winds, coastal flooding and dangerous seas are possible. Storm track and intensity will determine the exact impacts."

The "powerful coastal storm Friday night into Saturday night...will likely impact at least a portion of the region with heavy snow, strong winds, coastal flooding and dangerous seas," the Weather Service says. "However, still some uncertainty on the exact storm track and intensity, which will have a direct impact on snow amounts and other storm details."

Ahead of the storm, here are the parking bans, closures and cancellations related to the weather.

Parking bans

TAUNTON: A citywide parking ban will be in effect from 12 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 29, until 6 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 30. Municipal (24-hour free parking) lots are available behind City Hall on Summer Street, Cedar Street, Trescott Street, Weir Street (rear of TMLP offices), West Water Street (behind Weir House of Pizza), and Whittenton Street (at Goldstein’s 5 & 10). Parking is also available at the Court Street and Pleasant Street lots during the course of the parking ban, but vehicles must be removed from these two lots by 6pm on Sunday night when the parking ban is lifted.

DIGHTON: A town-wide winter parking ban remains in effect in Dighton. There is no overnight street parking in town until April 1, 2022. This ban applies all winter, whether snow is predicted or not. All unauthorized vehicles remaining on the street will be issued citations and towed by the Dighton Police Department.

RAYNHAM: An emergency parking ban will be in effect from 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 28 through 6 p.m. on Suday, Jan. 30, weather permitting. Any vehicles parked on the street during the snowstorm will be towed so the roads can be cleared of snow.

Closings/cancellations

-Dighton has declared a local snow emergency

- Bridgewater State University will be closed all day Saturday and Sunday morning.

- The COVID-19 vaccine clinic scheduled for this Saturday, Jan. 29, at Mulcahey Elementary School in Taunton from Manet Community Health Center has been canceled.

- Matthew Mission Food Pantry will be closed on Saturday, Jan. 29.

- The transfer station in Dighton and the Dighton Public Library will be closed this Saturday, Jan. 29.

- The transfer station in Raynham will be closed Saturday, Jan. 29, due to the snowstorm.

-The transfer station in Berkley will be closed on Saturday, Jan. 29, due to the snowstorm.

- Community Covenant Church in Rehoboth will host services online on Sunday.

- Taunton Parks and Recreation Jr. Basketball has been canceled for Saturday.

- Taunton's Convenience Center will be closed on Saturday, Jan. 29. Currently, the city doesn't anticipate trash or recycling delays for next week.

- The Trescott Street Gallery in Taunton is cancelling all scheduled events for Saturday, Jan. 29.

Report an outage

To report a power outage, visit Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant's website at https://www.tmlp.com/

During normal business hours (7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) you can also call TMLP at 508-824-6976. After business hours, call 508-824-3111. For internet outages anytime, call 508-880-8657.Outage updates will be stated on the TMLP phone system when you call.

For Freetown residents, in the event of power outage call Eversource at 800-592-2000 or report the outage online at www.eversource.com. Dispatch staff are unable to provide any information regarding Eversource's repair or restoration efforts. In the event of prolonged power outage that requires assistance, contact dispatch at 508-763-4017.

Help for the homeless

For members of our homeless population in need of shelter, call Our Daily Bread office, 111 High St., Taunton, for information regarding cold weather emergency housing or food at 508-824-1788, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

If you are aware of a homeless individual seeking assistance, have them call 800-HOMELESS from any 508 or 774 area code. Homeless Families can call the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) at 866-584-0653.

Diocese of Fall River

The Diocese of Fall River is urging parishioners to use caution and good judgment when planning to travel to Mass this weekend. All should follow the travel advisories of state and local officials, and stay off the roads during the peak hours of the storm and plow operation. In the event that roadways are not clear for travel on Sunday, the obligation to attend Sunday Mass does not apply when there is grave difficulty in fulfilling this obligation. Parishioners should not put themselves at risk in order to attend Mass if conditions are not safe.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Jan. 28 snow: Taunton, Raynham, Dighton, Berkley parking bans, cancellations