Winter Storm Watch Issued for Nemo in Needham

UPDATED: 4:38 P.M.

The Blizzard of '78 was 35 years ago. The Blizzard of '13 may be two days away.

The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard watch for Needham and surrounding areas from Friday night through Saturday morning.

According to the watch, "The worst of the storm will be Friday night into Saturday morning," with snowfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour possible. "Travel may become nearly impossible with blowing and drifting snow."

Several news outlets can agree that a minimum accumulation of 18 inches is headed this way, but the maximum accumulation numbers vary.

Here's the deal:

• WCVB is predicting 25.3 inches of snow in Boston by 11 a.m. Saturday.
• WHDH is calling for 15-20 inches of snow throughout the area that includes Wayland. Thunder and lightning is also possible, which could increase the maximum total to 30 inches, Pete Bouchard said during his 4 p.m. forecast.
• The NWS is predicting 18-24 inches for the entire area.

Below is the original story.

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A big winter storm will hit Needham on Friday, and the question facing weather forecasters is exactly how much snow will fall on Needham and surrounding communities?

Snow could start falling on Thursday night or early Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service. During the day Friday, the precipitation will change from snow to rain during the day, and then back to snow, according to the NWS.

The storm is actually two storms coming together, WHDH-TV meteorologist Jeremy Reiner wrote on his blog. WHDH forecasters predict 15 to 20 inches of snow will fall on and around Needham.

The National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Watch which runs from late Thursday to early Saturday. A Winter Storm Watch is issued when 6 inches or more of snow is expected in a 12-hour period, or 8-inches or more will fall in a 24-hour period, according to the National Weather Service.

The NWS warns that "travel may become nearly impossible" at times during the storm, according to the Winter Storm Watch alert

Follow Needham Patch for any updates about the storm and any closings caused by it.

Do you think Needham will get a heavy snowfall? Are you looking forward to a "real" snow storm or would you rather avoid it? Share in the comment section below.