As the weekend begins, all of New England is bracing for what AccuWeather is calling “the biggest storm of the winter so far.”
Sweeping across the country, the winter storm will dump heavy snow and ice all the way from Texas to Maine, and New Hampshire is no exception. The state is forecasted to receive as little as three inches in some parts, yet up to a foot in others.
Want to know exactly how much snow New Hampshire can expect? Here’s the latest information on snowfall totals for the state, as well as information on the timing of the storm.
How much snow will NH get this weekend?
While all of New Hampshire is expected to receive accumulating snowfall this weekend, the southern half of the state will see the greatest snowfall amounts, says the National Weather Service (NWS) of Gray, Maine.
Up north, Coos County can expect anywhere from three to six inches, with the northernmost tip of the state at the low end of the scale. Most of the state, stretching from Mt. Washington down to Manchester, Keene and Dover, can expect 8-11 inches.
The very bottom of the state, stretching through eastern Cheshire County, Hillsborough County and the Seacoast, could see up to a foot of snow or even more. Specifically, towns expecting a foot of snow include Jaffrey, Nashua, Portsmouth, Rye, Hampton, Exeter, Kittery and York.
When will it snow in NH this weekend?
After some snow showers and squalls throughout Friday afternoon, this weekend’s snowstorm will last from Sunday, Jan. 25 into Monday, Jan. 26, says the NWS. Specifically, snow will start around 3-5 p.m. in most of New Hampshire, reaching the southerrnmost part of the state earlier than the rest, around 11 a.m. Snowfall will continue overnight and all day Monday, leaving the state around 7 p.m. Monday night.
Due to the timing of the storm, the NWS warns that road conditions will be hazardous during the Monday morning and evening commutes.
Freezing temperatures expected in NH this weekend
According to the NWS, New Hampshire will see dangerously cold temperatures this weekend, with sub-zero temperatures expected from Friday night through Saturday morning. Wind chills as low as 40 degrees below are possible Friday night through Saturday.
Due to the incoming Arctic air, the NWS has issued a cold weather advisory for the entire state of New Hampshire and an extreme cold watch for Coos, Grafton, Carroll and Belknap counties, warning that frostbite and hypothermia can happen in as little as 10 minutes if skin is exposed to these temperatures.
The NWS recommends the following safety precautions to keep warm:
- Plan on staying indoors with heating, and limit time outdoors.
- Dress in layers with a hat, face mask and gloves if you must go outside.
- Keep pets indoors.
- Wrap or drain water pipes to prevent from freezing.
New Hampshire weather warnings and watches
The NWS has issued various warnings to the state of New Hampshire concerning the upcoming snowstorm, including a winter storm watch and a cold weather advisory for the entire state. Off the Seacoast, the NWS has issued a gale warning and a freezing spray advisory, warning that hazardous seas will reduce visibility and damage vessels.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald. Reporting by Catherine Messier.
