Weather

What Mayor Wu had to say about Boston’s snow forecast bust

“There’s always been some magic and some apologies to this, ... but more and more so, it’s becoming very difficult to estimate how those storms are going to behave,” Wu said.

In Coolidge Corner, only rain fell this morning. Lane Turner / The Boston Globe

February 13, 2024

When Mayor Michelle Wu declared a snow emergency on Monday, the forecasts were projecting a hearty 8 to 12 inches of snow for Boston. Needless to say, Tuesday’s reality was a bit more tame.

The city saw just a few measly snowflakes and some freezing rain early in the day, a far cry from the gruesome nor’easter of yesterday’s forecasts.

“I will take being overprepared than underprepared every single time, but it does come with a lot of disruption and inconvenience for families and people trying to get to their jobs,” Wu acknowledged during an appearance on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio” Tuesday. “So it’s really unfortunate, but we are glad to be safe, rather than sorry.”

Storm Watch:

The city takes a few different factors into consideration when making those snow day decisions, she explained.

“It’s basically a calculation of, how likely are we able to keep the roads clear as it’s coming down? Does the timing of the storm line up with high tide and therefore might cause significant coastal flooding and other issues? And is it during basically the travel time for school?” Wu said.

Another key component is giving families as much notice as possible, she said.

“I think it goes to show not only is our climate changing in general that we haven’t had a significant snowstorm now in more than two years, but also the predictability of the weather — every storm can change so quickly on its path, the projections, the amounts,” Wu said.

Meteorologists attributed the dramatic shift in snowfall predictions to a major change in the storm’s track that began late Monday.

“There’s always been some magic and some apologies to this, I’m sure, over the years, but more and more so, it’s becoming very difficult to estimate how those storms are going to behave,” Wu said.

The mayor also acknowledged the “strong cultural attachment” to Boston’s cherished (albeit highly competitive) tradition of using space savers to stake a claim on a shoveled parking spot.

She described the city’s official policy — allowing space savers during and up to 48 hours after the end of a snow emergency — as “a pretty good compromise for everyone.”