21 inches of snow as Mass. closes offices, threat of flooding in Boston (PHOTOS) — RT USA

21 inches of snow as Mass. closes offices, threat of flooding in Boston (PHOTOS) — RT USA:

A New Year’s storm brought howling winds, drifting snow and frigid temperatures to the northwestern US state of Massachusetts. Nearly 55 centimeters of snow fell overnight in the Bay State, prompting the National Guard to be put on standby.

Almost 2 feet of snow had fallen in the town of Boxford, just north of Boston, by Thursday night and 45 cm have been recorded in other parts of the state, says the National Weather Service. The service has already issued a blizzard warning for Cape Cod, coastal areas north and south of Boston as well as in some parts of Maine and Long Island.

"We're going to see a lot of snow and a lot of wind," Jason Tuell from the National Weather Service said. "We're concerned about whiteout conditions … with the blowing and drifting snow."

The conditions on major roads in southeast Massachusetts have already deteriorated as the winter storm strengthened, WHDH 7NEWS Boston Local News reported.

 

City workers shovel snow from in front of the Orient Heights T Station on Bennington Street January 2, 2014 in East Boston, Massachusetts. (Darren McCollester/Getty Images/AFP)