– And Yes, we’re annoyed too!

·        Vehicles may remain parked in City lots; parking meters back in effect at 11:30 a.m.

·        Property owners must clear sidewalks within 6 daylight hours following end of snowfall

·        Mother Nature didn’t get the memo. No cars were towed for snow. Snow tickets will be canceled.

 So we’ve had yet another forecast for plowable snow where apparently Mother Nature didn’t get the memo. We’re looking at less accumulation than expected and less certainty now for the Sunday night snow. So the City of Somerville’s snow emergency will end Saturday, March 1, at 9:30 a.m. and normal parking rules will resume at that time. Vehicles may remain parked in City lots, but parking meters will go back into effect at 11:30 a.m. Plowing will continue, but we’ll be clearing just the middle of the roads because no cars were towed.

Again, no cars were towed for snow last night and all snow emergency tickets from Friday into Saturday will be canceled. Tickets for any other parking offenses will remain and drivers should pay or appeal the ticket by the deadline listed to avoid additional fees. If you are unsure about your ticket, please call 311. Please, however, be sure to stay alert regarding Sunday’s storm—as guess what, forecasts can change.

The libraries and rinks will remain closed today and all school, city and recreational activities remain canceled.

GENERAL SNOW EMERGENCY INFORMATION

Sidewalk Shoveling:

To ensure safe passage for all, property owners are responsible for removing snow and ice from sidewalks abutting their property within 6 daylight hours of the end of snowfall.

Avoid Parking within 20 feet of an intersection

To leave enough clearance for plows and emergency vehicles, cars parked within 20 feet of an intersection may be subject to ticketing and towing if they are deemed to be likely to restrict access. This regulation is enforced as needed and is especially important to adhere to on narrower streets.

Snow Shoveling Assistance

The Somerville Teen Shoveling program is a paid program for youth to shovel out seniors or persons with disabilities after a snow storm in Somerville. Teens and homeowners are paired for the season. You must apply and be paired with teen shovelers well in advance of a storm. To enquire how to sign up for future storms, contact Christopher Hosman, Community Services Manager, 617-625-6600 x 2406 or chosman@somervillema.gov.

Driveway use

If you have access to a driveway, please consider using it during snow emergencies, or even sharing it with a neighbor or friend.

City alerts

Community members are encouraged to sign up for the City’s alert system at to receive emergency phone, email and/or text message alerts as well as important information for your neighborhood. Sign up for alerts at www.somervillema.gov/alerts or by calling 311 (617-666-3311 from cell phones or outside the city).

When are snow emergencies called?

A snow emergency may be declared whenever four or more inches of snow are predicted. City officials closely monitor storm forecasts through various means, and use all available information to make an informed decision.

How to stay informed about snow emergencies

Once a snow emergency has been declared, residents are notified via multiple lines of communication, including: City alerts, City Cable TV (Comcast Ch. 15 & 22, RCN Ch. 13, 15, & 613), local media (online, radio, print, TV, etc.), City social media including www.facebook.com/SomervilleCity, www.facebook.com/311Somerville, Twitter @SomervilleCity and @311Somerville, the City website www.somervillema.gov, and flashing blue lights activated at 22 key intersections in the City (when lights are flashing, a snow emergency is in effect).

-City of Somerville