Blizzard is Coming: Update 12:00 noon

Blizzard is Coming: Update 12:00 noon

A Blizzard Warning continues in effect for Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts except Block Island and the Cape and Islands. The center of the developing storm was very close to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina as of late this morning. It continues to intensify and will become a very powerful storm with near hurricane-like central pressure as it passes just southeast of Nantucket tomorrow morning.

Heavy Snow

Heavy snow will overspread the area this afternoon and could accumulate at a rate of 2-4" per hour tonight. Total accumulation still looks like it will be in the 1-2 foot range. A mix or change to rain is still possible for Block Island, the Cape and Islands but if the storm center jogs just a bit farther east even those spots could pick up large amounts of snow. North and northeast winds will gust 30-60 mph and there could be coastal damage and major beach erosion from wave battering especially along the Eastern Massachusetts coastline.

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

(Look for further updates throughout the storm, along with more frequent brief twitter updates on the Weather page)