Middleboro residents stock up on the necessities to prepare for winter storm
A few bags of salt rest on a pallet at Aubuchon Hardware in Middleboro. The store's salt stocks are running out as residents prepare for the weekend winter storm, Friday, Jan. 23. Photos by Sam Tucker
Groceries fill the trunk of Javier Morales' car.
Aubuchon Hardware employee Bill Tanguay said the store has been seeing plenty of customers preparing for the storm, and shelves are growing empty.
A few bags of salt rest on a pallet at Aubuchon Hardware in Middleboro. The store's salt stocks are running out as residents prepare for the weekend winter storm, Friday, Jan. 23. Photos by Sam Tucker
Groceries fill the trunk of Javier Morales' car.
Aubuchon Hardware employee Bill Tanguay said the store has been seeing plenty of customers preparing for the storm, and shelves are growing empty.
MIDDLEBORO — Hannaford's grocery store and Aubuchon Hardware buzzed with customers Friday afternoon, as bitter temperatures and snow accumulation are forecasted this weekend.
The parking lot for the Middleboro businesses saw many residents flocking to the stores to prepare for the winter storm expected to hit Middleboro on Sunday afternoon. Fire Chief Owen Thompson said residents should refrain from traveling amid dangerous road conditions.
Thompson said the bitter windchill on Friday and Saturday are his largest concern. Dangerous windchills ranging from -10 to -15 degrees are expected to hit Middleboro tonight.
Through Sunday, the windchill temperature is expected to hover around 0 degrees.
“With those temperatures, frostbite can start to come on to people's bare skin without protection very quickly, in the matter of 10 to 15 minutes,” Thompson said.
Although the light-density snow could cause fewer downed powerlines and trees when it begins Sunday, roads will remain extremely dangerous to travel through Monday morning, he said.
The town asks residents to stay off the roads when possible.
Thompson said residents can prepare their households by clearing water hydrants from snow drifts — in case of a fire response — and ensuring outdoor household vents are free from the impending drift conditions. Carbon monoxide can build up in a household if vents are blocked off from fresh air.
He said residents should always prepare to have food and water stores for 24 to 36 hours, but from the bulk of the storm hitting on Sunday, to the time it's done on Monday, snowfall should not last more than about 14 to 20 hours.
Residents who have prescription medications should also ensure they have what they need so travel is not needed this weekend.
At the Hannaford grocery store, Middleboro resident Javier Morales bought groceries with his family, buying plenty to last through the storm.
“Who knows how it's going to be,” Morales said as he filled a car trunk full of groceries for the weekend.
At Aubuchon Hardware, next door to Hannaford, employee Bill Tanguay said shovels and salt have been flying off the shelves over the last few days.
“Our ice melt salt? Forget it. We’ve got maybe a half of a pallet left,” he said.
Middleboro resident Beverly Samvato said she makes it through winter storms with a nice hot soup and a bit of patience.
“I'm not looking forward to shoveling out my car. When you're 85 years old, it hurts sometimes,” she said with a laugh.
The Middleboro Public Library is operating a warming center, and will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24. If large power outages occur, or if the library is at capacity, the town will open a municipal building to offer additional warming assistance.
Visit the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency safety tips webpage for additional tips on preparing for winter storms.
