Tree stands strong amid wind and snow at the Marine Hospital site in Vineyard Haven.
Timothy Johnson

Island Hunkers Down as Winter Storm Brings Heavy Snow, Wind

After a night and morning of steady snowfall, the snow subsided early Sunday afternoon as a winter storm lashed the Vineyard. Ferries to the Vineyard have been canceled for all of Sunday and the Island is a blanket of white after hours of wind-driven snow for the second time in three weeks.

After a night and morning of steady snowfall, the snow subsided early Sunday afternoon as a winter storm lashed the Vineyard. Ferries to the Vineyard have been canceled for all of Sunday and the Island is a blanket of white after hours of wind-driven snow for the second time in three weeks.

Osprey nest at Oak Bluffs harbor is buffeted with wind and snow.
Timothy Johnson
Osprey nest at Oak Bluffs harbor is buffeted with wind and snow.
Timothy Johnson

The storm was expected to bring strong winds to the Vineyard and other parts of eastern Massachusetts; the winds are expected to subside midday Sunday. As of 10 a.m., the peak wind gust at the weather station on the Chappaquiddick-side Chappy Ferry slip was 43 miles per hour.

Cape Air has canceled flights Sunday and Peter Pan Bus Lines has has canceled all service Sunday between Woods Hole and Boston. The Steamship Authority announced Sunday morning that all Sunday service for Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket would be canceled because of the weather and service Monday will be on a case-by-case basis. The 6 a.m. Monday trip from Vineyard Haven to Woods Hole has been canceled because of the weather.

The Vineyard Transit Authority suspended bus service all day on Sunday.

Braving the blizzard for a snowy walk in Edgartown.
Mark Lovewell
Braving the blizzard for a snowy walk in Edgartown.
Mark Lovewell

The town of Tisbury has a parking ban through 7 a.m. Monday, though the parking ban was lifted for Main Street Tisbury on Sunday afternoon. The town of Edgartown said Saturday that parking is not allowed on town streets, but town lots will be open. Residents were asked to stay off the roads Sunday to allow plows to do their work.

Police and public safety personnel warned that driving conditions were dangerous and advised residents to stay off the roads if possible.

Katama Road in Edgartown is closed. In Oak Bluffs, East Chop Drive is closed between Brewster avenue and Munroe avenue.

The YMCA will be closed on Sunday, as will Island libraries that normally have Sunday hours. The regional high school play Into the Woods has canceled its Sunday performance.

The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning through 4 a.m. Monday.

The storm is expected to clear by Sunday evening, but forecasters say strong winds and bitterly cold temperatures will prevail on Monday, the Presidents Day national holiday.

State and local emergency managers are monitoring weather conditions.

Photo gallery: Mid-February Storm Lashes Island

Comments

Marie Laursen Tisbury

Deshandra, try reading up on climate change. Simply put, the gradually warming ocean waters, when hit by arctic air, cause a lot of moisture to be sucked up into the atmosphere, resulting in more snowfall. Yes, you should read about it. There is an excellent article by David Epstein in the Boston.com website. His column is called "Weather Wisdom."

deshandra brown mv

Marie, try reading the historical weather records at the NOAA and other available sources. Historically we have had varying temperatures of both extremes. Simply put, when one group's 'global warming' scare tactics didn't work, they renamed it 'climate change'. The climate always has been changing so that name has now been 'hijacked' and pasted on the Al Gore nonsense. The only global warming from big Al was the hot air he expelled. Btw, ever notice the size of his house, wasting all that energy? Gotta love those hypocrites!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 02/14/2015 - 19:52

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Bill Edgartown

For the ignorant... it is called Climate Change... so you have the hottest year on record... then more radical weather patterns... of snow, drought, floods, etc... The science has been quite accurate in predicting this... but you have to believe in the things like science... and dinosaurs... and...

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 02/14/2015 - 22:41

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Albert Gore Edgartown

Global Warmists are embarrassed by cold days, so you've changed it to Climate Change. It's still not convincing, though. You have to use false records to declare this the hottest year on record. When you make up so many things, people stop believing you. Go to church tomorrow Bill, and you'll find a better religion than global warming.

Marie Laursen Tisbury

If you are Al Gore, I am Madame Butterfly. Grow up and use your real name. I do, and no one has taken the air out of my tires yet.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 02/14/2015 - 22:49

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BS OB

It was the hottest year because the government "cooked the books" changing temperature readings from the past to make last year look like the warmest. Man made "climate change" is a scam. There is NO data to support it. It's all based upon models from the IPCC which have consistently failed. Of the 117 models that they have put forward in the last 25 years 114 have been wrong. There have not been any more or less radical weather patterns than normal, in fact the US hasn't had a major hurricane in 8 years. It's time to move on from this nonsense.

kkurman W. Tisbury

the most accurate statement in your flat-earth retort is in your anonymous nom de plume. Smarter people than you with resources beyond cable news and looking out the window have come to informed conclusions delivering accurate predictions. Where is the 'on' you would have us 'move'? You know, back in the 70's some smart, observant people looked around in LA and realized that the air was poisonous and that it was coming from the exhaust of cars. So they collected their data and went to the people and said, STOP IT! And the people did and now they don't really have the smog, certainly not at the levels they had before. The earth is a big dynamic organism of which we are a part. Seen from space, which we can now do, we have learned that it's really not so big, and it's really quite fragile, several orders of magnitude bigger than the fragile ecosystem of the Vineyard. Here we can see how development is killing Sengekontacket, why do you believe we can't be doing that on a global scale? It's the myopia of those who deny that it's possible that is the most frustrating to conscientious observers who are trying to DO something about it. How does it harm you to allow for the effort to prevent our little globe from being exposed to the vast vacuum of space? Even God puts the onus of stewerdship on us. The only people it really serves are the producers of "infotainment News" and those who would profit from such exploitation. So all we ask is that you relax and conserve, and allow for the possibility that there's a problem and that it can be repaired. That's the 'on' we would like to 'move' to.

Martha Bates Albuquerque (at present)

Some hurricanes come in winter....they're called Blizzards! And you all are getting hammered. Stay strong!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/15/2015 - 08:26

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Marie

To post things like "government cooked the books" is not an argument that supports a position. It shows a lack of facts and lots of imagination. The following is from NASA:

"Ninety-seven percent of climate scientists agree that climate-warming trends over the past century are very likely due to human activities,1and most of the leading scientific organizations worldwide have issued public statements endorsing this position. The following is a partial list of these organizations, along with links to their published statements and a selection of related resources."

http://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/

Marie

I find it hard t believe that writers at Forbes know more about this than NASA scientists.

Politifact:
"But several inquiries debunked those allegations, including those conducted by the British Parliament, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Pennsylvania State University, and the InterAcademy Council. The inquiries found that while the scientists had made rude remarks about people who questioned climate change, they were not falsifying data. A few reports recommended greater transparency and sharing of climatic data, but the independent investigations exonerated the researchers of falsifying data."

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/15/2015 - 08:42

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Joni

I a so saddened that EVERYTHING turns into a political discussion. We have lots of snow--it is amazingly beautiful and amazingly disruptive and amazingly interesting....

Elizabeth Edgartown

Could not agree with you more, Joni - it not only turns political, it rapidly declines to mudslinging. There has to be a better way to make one's point.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/15/2015 - 09:05

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J MV

I wonder if there is a correlation between those who feel it is safer not to vaccinate their children and those who believe climate change is a hoax. It seems some islanders feel very strongly about their right to choose... to be ignorant of science.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/15/2015 - 09:21

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Don West Tis

No problem really. I went to About Signs and had wall size murals of beach scenes and palm trees put up on all four basement walls. Then ultra bright high intensity lamps, pumped in some ocean music of waves pounding off of South Beach with kids playing in the background. Sand on the basement floor too. Its a "state of mind" I guess more than anything. Mindfulness is key, peppered with perspective, time, and a good cup of coffee.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/15/2015 - 10:34

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Tom Eddgartown

Yes, Global Warming is an absolute fact! And ISIS is not Islamic; Congress is too good for Obamacare, and yes everyone should clean their yards so it looks nice for Obama and any of his Czar's who come to visit the Vineyard!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/15/2015 - 10:58

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Tom Edgartown & Southern California

We had the pleaure of enjoying the snow a few weeks back and wish we didn't have to leave! Back in sunny Southern California now at 90 degrees and it is always the same. Enjoy your winter! It is unique and very pretty! Be safe in the storm!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/15/2015 - 11:44

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VeryAnnoyed Vineyard Haven

Global Warming, Climate Change, blah blah --- This planet has had past weather since its "Big Bang". We are living on an ever changing environment. You will have record cold and record heat, it is part of living on a planet. I for one, is tired of hearing about climate change over and over again! It is called weather patterns, look back into history and you shall see similar patterns.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/15/2015 - 12:03

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AEB EDGARTOWN

OK, SO THE WINTER OF 1977-78 AND WINTER 2005 AND OTHER MEMORABLE SEVERE WINTERS BEFORE THEM ARE ALL TO BE CONSIDERED POLITICAL?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/15/2015 - 14:16

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Jack Rockaway nj

If it wasn't for the driveway blocked by snow, we would be there enjoying the house, fireplace and the beauty.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/15/2015 - 18:13

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James Logue Rosemont, PA and Chilmark, MA

Very sorry to read so many angry comments from people who are so fortunate to live on such a beautiful island. The news (cable, major network and the few remaining credible papers) are already full of partisan, vitriolic accounts and sadly each day brings another story about senseless violence around the world. Here's an idea for those of you who are able to get out safely in the weather you are experiencing: Go to the hospital and spend some time with someone who has real problems, take them a little gift and brighten their day. It Is easy to grouse about problems (or perceived problems) but more productive (and rewarding) to part of the solution.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/16/2015 - 08:53

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Frank Brunelle Vineyard Haven

I expected to read light heart-ed banter about the weather and instead there is the idea that we are not experiencing climate change because if it is not getting warmer everywhere at the same time then any anomaly in the weather pattern in the opposite direction is proof that the planet is not getting warmer. But, climate change is more than just getting warmer. Read this article and see if you agree. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/feb/25/world-2014-extreme-w…

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/17/2015 - 08:13

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John Alley WT

Look out your window it is snowing again!
All of your hot air would have melted my path

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/17/2015 - 10:34

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Donna Russell Braddock Bay, NY (now & then Edgartown)

"Man does not weave this web of life. He is merely a strand of it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself." "All things are bound together. All things connect." Chief Seattle's words resonate...how we treat our borrowed world, both ecologically and interpersonally. What an interesting few days of commentary about who is "right" and who is "wrong", who is "ignorant" and who is "smart"....regardless of the damage to the web. Do island folks recognize their preciousness connectedness and ubiquitous metaphor for life on earth? Can't we just strive for always being the best we're able to be, both to the earth and to each other? We, as part of the web, will reap the benefits, hopefully with constant gratitude for our short time on this (I)island.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/17/2015 - 10:54

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Richard Toole Oak Bluffs

Are we experiencing Cabin Fever? I agree, go out and enjoy it. Absolutely gorgeous right now! Call Capelight Compact and sign up for a free energy audit. Use less energy, save money, help the environment!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/17/2015 - 13:49

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Carol O'Bluffs (aka Oaks Bluff)

OMG, and I was going to comment that the verb 'cancel' is spelled with 2 Ls in the past tense: cancelled. In the article, six times the word is misspelled. (Or should I say misspeled?)

Donna

Past tense of "cancel" can be spelled either way (international differences - American English is usually w/one "l"). But wow! Seems everyone on the Vineyard is "past tense"....slipped from cabin-fever boredom to self-righteousness to judgment to criticism to anger to name-calling. Some folks need some sunshine and warmth and pinkletinks! Wouldn't it be truly lovely if all comments remained as gently conversational as the spelling of "canceled"! Hang in there, Carol!

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