Blizzard 2015: Winter Storm Could Be The Biggest In History Of Boston

With New York City narrowly escaping the brunt of the blizzard, nicknamed “Juno” by the Weather Channel, residents in Massachusetts and Connecticut weren’t so lucky. Now it seems Boston is staring down the barrel of one of the largest snowfalls in its history.

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for the state of Massachusetts that will continue until 8 p.m. EST Tuesday. Those in the affected area can expect more snow accumulation on top of the more than 20 inches that already has fallen in some regions, as well as wind gusting to more than 60 mph.

If the trajectory of this storm continues, it could end up being the single largest snowfall that the city of Boston has ever encountered. The Boston Globe is reporting the storm has already cracked the top eight snowfall totals since 1935, having covered the area with at least 20.8 inches since Monday. The biggest recorded blizzard occurred in 2003, blanketing the city in 27.5 inches of snow. Luckily, meteorologists gave city officials ample time to prepare for the 2003 storm and the city’s residents were relatively safe.

One of the most destructive storms ever to hit Boston was the infamous Blizzard of 1978. Although it ranks in second place, the storm was one of the most difficult with which to deal as the city found itself grossly underprepared. To make matters worse, another blizzard had dumped 2 feet of snow on the city just 17 days earlier. The Boston Globe reported 54 people were confirmed dead in Boston as a result of the 1978 storm. Since that time, city officials have been taking these kinds of storms very seriously.

"Boston has been through blizzards before and I'm confident we are prepared," said Mayor Martin J. Walsh, according to The Weather Channel. "But a storm this size poses a threat to the safety of our residents in many different ways, and we are taking it very seriously. I urge everyone to do their part, to put safety first."

Much of the city’s public transit system is either down or suspended. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Banker said the statewide travel ban would be lifted at midnight. The Globe reported the only people exempt from the travel ban are those working in the medical field, city workers and the media.

Meteorologists expect the storm to taper off by the end of Wednesday, giving Juno another few hours to continue to accumulate snow. Still, the storm’s near record-breaking fall hasn’t stopped residents of Boston from keeping a light heart. Residents of the city have been having some fun with, what they call, the Boston Yeti on Twitter.

Boston residents should check local authorities and the National Weather Service for infromation about travel bans and other safety tips about the 2015 blizzard.