R.I. Officials Sound Warnings Ahead of Storm

R.I. officials sound warnings ahead of storm
Snow, freezing rain this weekend could lead to street flooding, increase risk of roof collapses

By Donita Naylor

Journal Staff Writer Posted Feb. 20, 2015 at 6:51 pm Updated at 11:40 PM

With snow, rain and freezing rain expected Saturday afternoon through Sunday afternoon, state officials are cautioning Rhode Islanders about the dangers of roofs collapsing and streets flooding.

The National Weather Service in Taunton, Mass., on Friday issued a Winter Weather Advisory from 1 p.m. Saturday to 1 p.m. Sunday for snow and freezing rain for all of Southern New England except Cape Cod and the Islands.

The forecast for Providence calls for a 30 percent chance of snow after 4 p.m. Saturday, amounting to less than half an inch.

Here is our latest thinking for snow this weekend. More details at http://t.co/iTrYwzX09F pic.twitter.com/LXQ7hzuHtb

— NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) February 20, 2015

On Saturday night, the chance of precipitation is 100 percent, with 1 to 3 inches of snow before it changes to rain after about 1 a.m. Sunday.

With Sunday's high expected near 42, and a 70 percent chance of precipitation, the sequence is likely to be rain or freezing rain before noon, rain between noon and 4 p.m., and rain or freezing rain after 4 p.m.

A Sunday night low around 15 would change the 30 percent possibility of rain, snow and freezing rain to all snow between 10 p.m. and midnight.

By Monday, which is expected to be sunny, the high of 20 will ensure that standing water will freeze.

Watch for signs of roof collapse

State officials and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Consultation Program urge Rhode Islanders to clear snow from roofs before the storm, and to do it safely.

R.I. Emergency Management Director Peter Gaynor cautioned about the potential for roofs collapsing because of rain falling on accumulated snowfall of more than 50 inches, and the potential of street flooding from clogged storm drains.

Governor Raimondo asked residents to be aware of the signs that a roof is about to collapse.

Those include sagging, severe roof leaks, cracked or split wood, bends or ripples in supports, cracks in walls, sheared-off screws on steel frames, sprinkler heads that have dropped below ceiling tiles, doors that pop open, difficult-to-open doors or windows, bowed pipes or conduits and creaking, cracking or popping sounds.

Anyone who thinks the roof is in danger of collapsing is advised to get out of the house and call a building official or a roof contractor.

Dr. Michael Fine, director of the R.I. Department of Health, urged anyone removing snow from roofs to be aware of the dangers of falling from edges, through skylights or from ladders and lifts. He also urged Rhode Islanders "to take every precaution possible" to prevent injury from hypothermia, heart attack, shoveling and snow blowers.

Other tips include not using a roof rake from a ladder, making certain not to contact electrical wires and not clearing roofs in strong winds.