LOWELL, Mass. US NEWS: The first winter storm of the season arrived right on schedule Tuesday, blanketing UMass Lowell with a quick but disruptive coat of snow and prompting university officials to send students home before the afternoon commute turned treacherous.
Winter Storm Chan, a fast-moving coastal system that strengthened into something close to a classic nor’easter, delivered between 1.6 and 2.2 inches of snow across the city, according to National Weather Service estimates. While northern and western parts of Massachusetts saw heavier totals under Winter Storm Warnings, Lowell remained under a Winter Advisory territory.
The university shut down all in-person classes and activities at 11:00 a.m., and the city of Lowell enforced a parking ban from 11:30 a.m. Tuesday until 7:30 a.m. Wednesday to allow plows to clear streets.
Darius Daniels, a senior meteorology student and president of the campus chapter of the American Meteorological Society, said his classmates had been following the storm’s progress for weeks.
“We started talking about this one in class even before Thanksgiving break,” Daniels said. “When you’re a weather geek, these events get you pretty excited.”
He added that the timing of the storm made the early closure especially important for the thousands of commuter students who drive to campus each day.
“The worst of it really hit during the afternoon and early evening,” he said. “Closing at eleven let everyone get home safely instead of trying to drive in the thick of it.”
Dr. Jeffrey Basara, professor and chair of the Department of Environmental, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, called the storm a textbook example of what New England typically sees in early December.
“This was a rapidly developing coastal low that hugged the coastline and intensified quickly,” Basara explained. “It’s exactly the kind of setup we expect this time of year.”
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Daniels believes the region is in for slightly above-average snowfall, with most of it coming in December and January. At the same time, he pointed out that longer-term climate trends are shifting winters in the Northeast toward warmer and wetter conditions overall.
“A degree or two can be the difference between all snow and a messy rain-snow mix, especially here in Lowell where we often sit right on that line,” he said.
Massachusetts has not recorded an official blizzard in nearly four years. Both Daniels and Dr. Basara say a major storm remains possible before spring arrives.
“I wouldn’t rule out a blockbuster event in the next couple of months,” Daniels said. “Conditions will have to come together just right, but it only takes one.”
Dr. Basara agreed, noting that big snowstorms are always part of the forecast in any New England winter.
“We’re never completely off the hook for a significant event,” he said.
The winter solstice, marking the official start of the season, arrives Sunday, December 21. For now, students at UMass Lowell are already getting a reminder that winter has arrived a little early this year.