With the first winter storm of 2014 upon us, we've compiled a list of our favorite online resources for storm-related information, so you can be in the know.
- The National Weather Service is the go-to source for up-to-date warnings, forecasts, and weather imaging.
- If you have to be at sea, or know someone who is, the National Weather Service also provides Marine Weather Forecasts.
- Cape Cod Weather provides local forecasts and updates, as well as explanations of what goes into forecasts and what they really mean. Twitter feed @capecodweather.
- Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency has winter storm tips on their website and posts updates on shelters, press conferences, and other emergency actions on twitter as @MassEMA.
- Cape Cod Times has a regularly updated list of school closures on the Cape, New Bedford Standard Times has one for the South Coast, and WHDH maintains a statewide list of closures and delays.
- For information on ferry service to and from the islands, check with the provider. The Steamship Authority and Hy-line Cruises are posting service updates on their websites. Hy-line is also on twitter - @hylinecruises.
- Outage maps from NStar and National Grid are a great way to keep track of power outages, unless, of course, your power is out. In that case, you can report an outage by calling 800-592-2000 (Nstar) or 800-465-1212 (National Grid).
- Want to know what the storm looks like on the ground? OnCape Webcams offer a variety of views from around the Cape, including Woods Hole, Sagamore, and Orleans.
- If you're on Twitter, but don't want to clutter your feed with state officials and weather junkies, #MASnow appears to be the official hashtag for the storm.
- Last but not least, of course, is right where you are now. We'll be posting conversations with experts and observers around the region, and keeping track of everything in a regularly updated live blog.
And don't forget to let us know what conditions are like where you are. Share photos and updates on WCAI's Facebook page.
