In response to expected severe winter weather, Somerville sent a 311 alert to residents at 2 p.m. Saturday declaring a snow emergency starting Sunday at 7 a.m. The Somerville Public Schools will be closed on Monday.
The National Weather Service has issued a severe winter storm warning for the southeast Middlesex area from 7pm tomorrow through 8pm Monday. Somerville is facing 13 to 20 inches of snow projected to fall on Sunday into early Monday. Some parts of the Boston area are expecting as much as 24 inches of snowfall and many Boston-area communities have declared snow emergencies, including Cambridge.
Somerville is posting updates online. Residents will also see flashing blue lights on the road at 22 intersections across the city indicating that an emergency has been put in place.
Within four hours of the emergency being declared, residents will need to move their cars to the odd side of the street: guidance that applies in odd-numbered years. They can also park in city-owned lots, excluding school lots.
Once the snow emergency ends, residents need to move their vehicles within two hours to avoid a fine. Meters will be free during the emergency, but regulations will come back into effect 24 hours after the emergency ends.
The city will take care of plowing, including on bike paths and on the community path, the alert stated. Cyclists were advised to be wary of ice.
In addition to standard snow procedures, the city has authorized the winter warming center at the Cummings Building, which is generally open at night, to remain open during the day on Monday.
The warming center, which is open to unhoused adults, can accommodate up to 45 people per night: an expanded capacity rolled out this year due to partnership with the nonprofit Housing Families. In a separate call with Cambridge Day, 311 was unable to confirm whether that capacity will remain the same during the center’s daytime hours.
The city is also encouraging residents to visit some Somerville library branches during regular hours to stay warm. On Sunday, the Central Library will operate extended hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to provide a warm space for community members (the East and West branches will be closed). On Monday, the East branch library will be open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. to provide relief from the cold (the Central Library and West branch will be closed). The Council on Aging Center at 167 Holland street is also open for seniors.
This story was updated to reflect which library branches will be open during the snow emergency.
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