While many of us are happy the snow is pretty much all gone and the weather is finally warming up that leads to another problem we typically see this time of year, brush fires.

Right now the air we have is very dry. Relative humidities have been less than 20 percent.

That along with gusty winds, a lack of leaves on the trees and storm debris leftover from the October Snowstorm of 2011 and the 2011 June 1^st Tornado, all help to create the perfect conditions for brush fires.

And when the winds are gusty those brush fires can get out of control and spread very quickly.

Even though this is burning season you should refrain from burning on days when the fire danger is high. Several western Massachusetts cities and towns do not allow burning at all.  If yours does allow you to burn and you’ve obtained a permit, check with your fire department on the day you plan to burn. If the fire danger is high they may not allow you to burn.

Also if you smoke make sure you properly dispose of all smoking materials. Do not throw your cigarette butts out the car window. I was driving home from work the other day and the woman in the car in front of me kept flicking her cigarette butts out the car window even hitting my car.

Right now all it takes is a spark or ember for a brush fire to start.

Once we get some rain, the leaves get on the trees and it gets more humid the fire threat will diminish.

Sunday, March 17th, 2013 is not only St. Patrick’s Day it also marks 60 years that WWLP has been on the air. WWLP first went on the air back on March 17, 1953 and John Quill, the station’s very first meteorologist delivered his first weather forecast.

John Quill remained on the air at WWLP for 47 years before retiring in 2000.  Of course, I like many grew up watching John Quill deliver the weather here on 22News. He inspired me at a young age and I learned a lot about weather by watching his forecasts.

I had the honor and priviledge to work with John from 1996 right through 2000.

We saw a little snow Friday night into Saturday morning across western Massachusetts but that was about it for us this weekend.

However, Saturday night into Sunday afternoon a strong ocean storm brought heavy snow to parts of eastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and Rhode Island.

That same storm is responsible for the gusty winds and cold air that has moved in. Fortunatley we saw virtually no snow from this storm even though it wasn’t all that far away. Here is a look at how much snow fell just off to our east.

Brewster, MA: 6.3″
Hyannis, MA: 5.0″
South Sagmore, MA: 3.0″
Nantucket, MA: 2.5″
New Bedford, MA: 5.0″
Hanson, MA: 4.0″
Taunton, MA: 4.0″
Westerly, RI: 4.0″
West Warwick, RI: 4.0″
Acushnet, MA: 4.0″
Mattapoisett, MA: 4.0″
South Yarmouth, MA: 4.0″
Hingham, MA: 4.0″
East Walpole, MA: 4.0″
Franklin, MA: 3.9″
Sherborn, MA: 3.5″
Mansfield, MA: 3.5″
Warwick, RI: 3.5″
Scituate, RI: 3.3″
Walpole, MA: 3.0″
Coventry, RI: 3.0″
Bristol, RI: 3.0″
Warwick, RI: 3.0″
East Braintree, MA: 3.0″
East Killingly, CT: 3.0″
Pembroke, MA: 2.8″
Hanson, MA: 2.8″
Millis, MA: 2.4″
Hopkinton, MA: 2.0″
Nantucket, MA: 1.5″
Ashford, CT: 1.0″

Well our February Nor’Easter is done and dusted and I’ve even had some reports of some hints of sunshine out there!

The storm is done and flurries are all but over. Overnight snowfall accumulations ranged from 1-2 feet with high snow drifts to top it off. Here’s a link to our snowfall totals.

We’ll be tracking some chances for sunshine this afternoon, but be ready for tonight. One of the coldest nights of the past few weeks is on the way.

For all of you who have helped complete our coverage by sending in pictures, video, snowfall reports, tweets, facebook posts and e-mails. We thank you. We continue to try and improve our coverage from storm to storm and we hope we did you justice with our coverage this time.

If you have anything you’d like to see us incorporate for the next storm send an e-mail to weather@wwlp.com

Thanks for the whole team!

-Nick

Snow will slowly be tapering today, but that won’t help you get out of your home this morning.

For the first time in almost 3 years I walked to work this morning and it’s incredible how much snow fell overnight. Majority of the snowfall totals range between 1-2 feet with some higher amounts.

Snow drifts range from 2-5 feet and I’ve heard stories from our very dedicated crew here at 22news (most of which slept the night here) that even snow plows were getting stuck.

Please send snowfall reports to reportit@wwlp.com

Here are some pictures I took this morning.

Here are the latest snowfall totals.  Thanks for your reports at reportit@wwlp.com:

8:00PM:
Buckland  5.0″
Easthampton 5.5″
Holyoke 5.0″
Ware 5.0″
16 Acres 4.0″
Ludlow 4.0″
Montague 5.5″
Southwick 7.0″
Westfield 7.0″

9:00PM:

Tolland 10″
Blandford 8.0″
Southampton 8.0″
Turners Falls 8.0″
Greenfield 7.0″
Northampton 7.5″
Conway 7.0″
Holyoke 7.0″
Montague 7.0″

12Am Saturday
Hampden 13″
Belchertown 12″
Ludlow 13″
Wales 16″
Forest Park 12″
Agawam 10″
Brimfield 14″
Wales 16″
Worthington 12″
Chicopee 11.5″
Wilbraham 13.5″
Longmeadow 16″
Springfield 11″
Egremont 5″
Ware 9″
Russell 15″
East Longmeadow 9″
Granville 24″
Holyoke 10″
Becket 8″
Palmer 12″
Gilbertville  12″
Southwick 16.5″ 
Pelham 13.0″

1:00AM Saturday 
Huntington 18″
West Springfield 13.5″
Holyoke 17″
Chicopee 16.5″
Indian Orchard 12″
Ware 11.5″
Easthampton 17″

Snowfall accumulations are finally adding up after a light snow through the morning.

Here’s a list of snowfall accumulations that we’ve put together from many viewer reports from you.

Send snowfall reports to reportit@wwlp.com

• Westfield: 4.5
• Hadley: 4.5
• Feeding Hills: 4.5
• Monson: 5”
• Southampton: 4”
• Holyoke: 3”
• E. longmeadow: 3”
• Ludlow: 3”
• Blandford: 5”
• Tolland: 5”
• Southwick: 5”
• Easthampton: 3.5”
• Southwick: 5.5”
• Worthington: 4.5”

The heaviest snow of the day is not far away.

After a day that has featured steady, but light snow…some of the heaviest snow bands that we’ve seen move through should push into the lower Pioneer valley after 6pm. From then on out snow will get heavier into the night.

Here’s a look at Meteorologist Brian Lapis updating the graphics.

2″ in Springfield. Photo taken by Michael Niemiec 3 p.m. on Friday, February 8, 2013

We continue to update snowfall accumulation amounts from across western Massachusetts.

While the snow is certainly causing issues on the roads, accumulations so far have not been very high. We continue to expect that to change as we go later into the afternoon and overnight. Just because this storm isn’t bad yet doesn’t mean it won’t get worse.

Please e-mail all snowfall reports to reportit@wwlp.com

Here’s some recent snowfall accumulation amounts:

• Westfield: 1.5″
• Granby: 1.5″
• Lowell: 1.5″
• Greenfield: 0.5″
• Southwick: 1.0″
• Holyoke: 2.0″
• West Springfield: 2.0″
• Westfield: 2.5″
• Agawam: 1.5″
• Ware: 0.5″
• Granville: 2.5″
• Chicopee: 2.0″
• Wales: 1.5″
• Heath: 1.0″
• East Longmeadow: 1.0″
• Belchertown: 0.5″
• South Hadley: 0.5″

Continuing our drive of the roads so far in Hampshire County now we’ve noticed the problems are on the less travelled streets.

Driving southwest from Northampton on Route 66 into Florence was particularly snow covered although certainly not impossible. This storm is starting quietly but will certainly intensify through this afternoon and into tonight.