Weather Greater Gardner MA Local News
GARDNER WEATHERWeather Around Greater Gardner MA
WEATHER ALERTS – Will display active weather alerts from National Weather Service when issued.
- Drought 11-21-24 (11/21/2024)
Rain was welcomed in Greater Gardner as the area has suffered from drought. It is unclear whether the current predicted rainy weather will be sufficient to change the Drought designation after the 2nd driest October since the late 1800’s.
Greater Gardner MA in Severe Drought – Winter May Be More Normal
The Greater Gardner MA area is considered to be in Severe Drought at this time, along with a total of 49% of Worcester County. 51% of Worcester County is experiencing even worse conditions with a designation of Extreme Drought. Streamflow conditions are Low (Red) or Much Below (Dark red) Yellow indicates Below, Green is Normal, and there’s one near Worcester which is Above.
This is a time to conserve water and to be extremely careful with anything flammable. Various area fire departments have been responding to fires throughout the region. Drought.gov notes that October 2024 was the 2nd driest October on record over the past 130 years with 2.68 inches of precipitation less than normal. However, because of much higher precipitation earlier in the year, 2024 is so far the 44th wettest year to date over the past 130 years. (January to October 2024 had 3.09 inches of precipitation more than normal) It has been a year of extremes.
Winter Weather Outlook
NOAA – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting above normal temperatures in December through January 2024 for Massachusetts. Precipitation is expected to return to normal at some point according to the NOAA map. For more info, visit NOAA, CLICK HERE.
- Storm 7-16-24 (7/17/2024)
Fireman and Storm Enthusiast Captures the Storm
Lieutenant Eric Hulette of the Gardner Fire Department is also the EMS Coordinator and Sully the Comfort Dog’s Caretaker as well as a storm enthusiast and watchful eye, often posting information on the Gardner Fire Department Facebook page about potentially dangerous weather. He warned of “very strong storms heading our way” and that’s exactly what we got on July 16, 2024 with thousands of customers losing power in Greater Gardner MA communities.
About Hulette’s storm photos we show here he posted, “Finally got a few decent pics of a Mesocyclone (space ship) with a little rotation right over Crystal Lake when the first line of storms came through. Storm Radar is amazing and shows you exactly where the good storms are at!”
at 2am on July 17th, there were still 152 power outages in Massachusetts affecting 10,758 customers. At that time, 3774 customers in the Athol area were without power. Current map, CLICK HERE
- Heat Advisory – Watch (7/13/2024)
UPDATE: Heat Advisory extended through Wednesday, July 17th at 8pm. TAKE PRECAUTIONS.
National Weather Service Warns of Heat in Greater Gardner MA and Beyond
Heat Advisory (heat index values up to 102) is in effect from 8am to 8pm Monday July 15th and an Excessive Heat Watch (heat index values up to 107) is in effect from Tuesday July 16th morning through Tuesday Evening. Heat related illnesses increase significantly during extreme heat and high humidity events.
Actions to Take: Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Do not leave young children and pets in unattended vehicles. Car interiors will reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes. Monitor the latest forecasts and warnings for updates.
- Weather 6-23-24 (6/23/2024)
Possibility of Severe Weather in Greater Gardner MA for Sunday June 23rd
The Map is from the National Weather Service Boston office and warns of a severe storm risk from 1pm to 10pm on Sunday June 23, 2024. Numerous severe storms are possible with damaging wind and possible tornadoes. The Greater Gardner MA area falls within the warning zone.
For more information, visit the National Weather Service website here, or visit the Gardner Magazine Weather Center with numerous forecasts, maps, airport conditions and more, CLICK HERE.
- Cooling Center (6/17/2024)
Communities Open Cooling Centers Because of Heat Advisory
Greater Gardner is bracing for intense heat this week and cooling centers have been announced.
Gardner: Due to the current heat advisory the Community Room at the Gardner Police Station located at 200 Main Street will be open as a cooling center from Tues. June 18th 9:00 am until Thursday, June 20th 11:45 pm.
Winchendon: There will be a cooling center at the Clark Memorial/YMCA located at 155 Central Street. It will be Tuesday June 18th-Thursday June 20th. The cooling center will be open from 9am-5pm. Update 6-19-24: Hours extended to 9am-8pm
Your Community: Check with your local town hall.
Visit our Greater Gardner Weather Center for multiple forecasts, airport reports, and various maps, CLICK HERE.
- Severe Storms (5/27/2024)
Federal Help Available for last September’s Storms
From September 11 to September, 13, 2023 -Worcester County, (particularly the City of Leominster) was affected by severe storms and flooding. President Joe Biden just approved the assistance which was initially denied. Various resources are available. General Resource page, CLICK HERE.
Individuals impacted can apply at this link: CLICK HERE.
Also available is the FEMA Helpline: (800) 621-3362
Here is the original Press Release when President Joe Biden made the announcement, CLICK HERE.
Here’s a link to our original story when a Flash Flood warning was issued and before we knew of the extent of the damage at the 9-11 inches of rain which fell on Leominster MA. CLICK HERE.
- Update 4-5-24 (4/5/2024)
Gardner’s Decades-old tree was damaged during the storm. Mayor Nicholson stated, “If anyone has seen any of these updates in the past four years, you all know Christmas is my favorite holiday, so I’m sure we’re going to have something in place there too. It is sad to see that giant Christmas tree fall as a result of the wind that we had during the storm and the ice, but we’ll come up with some type of plan to move forward with that.”
Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson Updates the Chair City After April Storm
In his April 5, 2024 Update, Mayor Nicholson stated, “We definitely had a quite exciting week this past week with the late April snowstorm that we had but that’s what you get when you live in New England.” Listen to the update on any device, CLICK PLAY.
Mayor’s Update 4-5-24 Nicholson thanked the DPW crews for work in clearing the streets and for work on water main breaks. “The DPW crew that we have in Gardner has always been very dedicated and gets the job done in a very effective manner.” —–
Events: Chamber of Commerce Annual Economic Forecast Breakfast Friday April 12th, 7:30am at Great Wolf Lodge. —– Wachusett Business Incubator Open House Thursday, April 18th at 5pm —- Book Sale at Levi-Heywood Memorial Library Friday April 19th and Saturday April 20th. —-Councilor David Thibeault-Munoz Ward 1 Discussion Group Monday April 29th , 5:30pm at the Gardner Museum.
On Aldi Opening, “Aldi had their ribbon-cutting this past week despite the snowstorm. It was a very successful event. Over 300 people showed up before the doors opened and the line was down by Dollar Tree in the movie theater. So I want to thank everyone who braved the storm to come out for that event and thank Aldi for investing in the city.”
- Power 4-4-24 (4/4/2024)
Power Outages Appear to be due to Downed Trees Limbs in Greater Gardner MA
There were just under 18 thousand customers in Massachusetts without power at about 11:30am on April 4, 2024. Zooming in to the outages reveals that they are scattered presumably due to downed trees in the affected neighborhoods. Whether the number of outages will increase or decrease during the day will depend on the nature of the continuing storm and the strength of wind gusts..
- Closings 4-4-24 (4/3/2024)
Bad Weather Forecast Causing School Closings for Thursday, April 4, 2024
Area Schools closed on Thursday April 4, 2024 as of 11:30pm on 4/3 include: Ashburnham-Westminster, Gardner, Narragansett Regional, and Athol-Royalston. As of 5:28am on April 4th, Winchendon is also closed.
Also closed in the region: Fitchburg, Leominster, North Middlesex, Wachusett Regional,
For the updated list visit CBS TV Boston, CLICK HERE
Mount Wachusett Community College made a separate Facebook post at 6pm on 4/3/24 that all campuses would be closed on Thursday April 4, 2024.
Fitchburg State has posed a 1 hour 30 minute delay.
- Power 2-29-24 (2/29/2024)
Thousands of Massachusetts Customers Without Power – 200 per outage
As of 8am on February 29, 2024, there were approximately 348 active outages in Massachusetts affecting a total of approximately 7324 customers.
The problem was the high winds in the last 24 hours which caused trees to fall.
Westminster, MA Police Department posted at 7:13am on February 29th: “**Bragg Hill Road UPDATE** 7:13am 2/29/24 Bragg Hill Road is closed from the intersection at South Ashburnham Road to number 49 Bragg Hill Road.”
“The primary electrical lines are down in the street for approximately 5 telephone pole lengths. For the time being until these repairs are made by National Grid all residents in the area will need to take Bragg Hill Road into Ashburnham to get around these temporary closures. As we are provided additional information we will update you. “
Lake and Pond Ice is Not Safe
Gardner Fire Department posted about the danger of thin ice, “Due to the warm temps and strong South winds, the ice is no longer safe on our area ponds and lakes. Please stay off the ice!!”
- Storm 2-13-24 (2/12/2024)
UPDATE 8:30am 2-13-24: Where is the forecast storm? Levi Heywood Memorial Library has announced it will open at 11am on Tuesday, February 13, 2024. It is possible other items in this article have changed. We will update as we have information.
Forecast Update: National Weather Service now calling for 1 to 3 inches.
For complete forecasts (a variety of them from different sources), weather maps, the National Weather Service, and Airport Reports, please visit the Greater Gardner Weather Center, CLICK HERE.
Tuesday Storm Could Bring Plowable Snow and Some Wind
WINTER STORM WARNING: From February 13th 1am to February 14th 1am:
From a sunny day on Monday to a snowy day on Tuesday: As of Monday, February 12, 2024 at 9am, the National Weather Service is predicting an all day storm on Tuesday, February 13th with heavy snow before 4pm. And wind gusts as high as 31mph Currently, 7 to 11 inches is predicted. UPDATE: National Weather Service now stating 3-5 inches expected. (We’ll know the 100% accurate forecast the day after the storm)
Valentine’s Day on the 14th will be below freezing with a high of 28 and the wind gusts will continue. Another storm is possible on Thursday in to Friday with the weekend forecast to be storm free at this point.
Expect a parking ban announcement at some point.
UPDATE: 6PM February 12, 2024: This Statement was released by Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson: “Due to the predicted inclement weather, there will be an on-street parking ban beginning this evening, Monday, February 12, at 10pm and expiring tomorrow afternoon, Tuesday, February 13th, at 6pm. There will be a municipal parking lot ban in effect from 6pm to 8pm tomorrow, Tuesday February 13th. All trash collection will also be operating on a one-day delay for the remainder of the week. The Levi Heywood Memorial Library will be closed on Tuesday, Feb 13th.” UPDATE: 6:55PM – Note that Gardner Public Schools plan to be OPEN.
From Mount Wachusett Community College: Due to the impending weather, all MWCC campuses will be closed Tuesday, February 13, 2024. All day, evening and remote classes are canceled. Students should check their email for details. Please refer to the Mount Fitness Facebook Page for status on their operations.
Mayor Nicholson continued, “At this time, City Hall will have a 2 hour delay and open at 10am. In the event that a full closure has to happen at City Hall, all public meetings schedule will have to be postponed. Due to the fact that it appears every weather station and app have different predictions for this storm, we will monitor the radar throughout the night and the day tomorrow and adjust as needed.
DPW crews are currently responding to a water main break on Pearl Street by the Ashburnham town line. Due to their working on this repair and the union contractual and general safety guidelines for hours of sleep needed between work, this may cause some delays in plowing operations, solely dependent on what time the snow starts to fall- which again differs depending on which weather news source you look at. “
In addition the Mayor wrote, “At this time, City Hall will have a 2 hour delay and open at 10am. In the event that a full closure has to happen at City Hall, all public meetings schedule will have to be postponed.
Due to the fact that it appears every weather station and app have different predictions for this storm, we will monitor the radar throughout the night and the day tomorrow and adjust as needed.
DPW crews are currently responding to a water main break on Pearl Street by the Ashburnham town line. Due to their working on this repair and the union contractual and general safety guidelines for hours of sleep needed between work, this may cause some delays in plowing operations, solely dependent on what time the snow starts to fall- which again differs depending on which weather news source you look at. “
- Storm Warning (1/28/2024)
View complete forecasts with interactive maps and airport reports at the Gardner Magazine – Greater Gardner Weather Center, CLICK HERE.
Winter Storm Warning in Effect Sunday Through Monday in Greater Gardner MA
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Sunday January 28, 2024 and Monday January 29, 2024. Snow is predicted after 11am with several inches possible today and tonight.
- Ice Safety (1/21/2024)
It may be cold, but the ice may not be safe in Greater Gardner MA
Mass.gov has the following recommendations: If the ice is 2 inches or less, stay off completely. Wait until the ice is at least 4 inches thick for ice fishing or other activities on foot, 5 inches for a snowmobile or ATV, at least 8 inches to a foot for a car or small pickup truck, and 12 to 15 inches for a medium truck.
Some things to think about: New ice can be stronger than old ice. For example, a foot of old, partially thawed ice may cave under your weight while four inches of newly formed ice may not. Ice itself doesn’t freeze uniformly, so one area may be safer while another may not be. And any ice formed over moving water can have dangerous thin spots.
Ways to keep safe: Tell someone about your plans. Bring a phone in case of a problem. Carry ice picks and rope to help get yourself out. Wear a life jacket. For more tips, visit this site.
- Squalls 1-14-24 (1/14/2024)
Snow Squalls Possible Sunday January 14, 2024
The National Weather Service is forecasting that the Greater Gardner MA area could get from 1 to 3 inches of snow in a short period of time this afternoon with the possibility of zero visibility snow squalls occurring mid to late afternoon. Be very careful driving today.
- Messy Week (1/8/2024)
To view the latest weather forecast from multiple sources, weather maps, and airport reports, visit the Greater Magazine Greater Gardner Weather Center, CLICK HERE.
Plan for the worst this week: Watch for black ice when it gets colder at night. Expect some falling branches from wind. Expect flooding.
Messy Odd Weather Ahead This Week in Greater Gardner MA
The National Weather Service report shows Tuesday, January 9th starting off as a relatively innocent cloudy day with a high just above freezing at 34. A Light wispy wind up to 10mph sneaks in during the afternoon. A tease of snow occurs with accumulation of less than one inch. Tuesday night, the mess begins with rain that might be mixed with snow and probably switches to all rain after 11pm. Temperature is expected to go up to around 47 by about 5am and the wind is expected to get stronger increasing up to 29mph after midnight with gusts as high as 47mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. Midweek on Wednesday, there’s rain likely before 2pm, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, but warm for this time of year with a high near 51. The wind will still be there of up to 23mph and gusts to 37mph with chance of precipitation being 60 percent.
Thursday and Friday there is forecast to be a reprieve from the rain with mostly sunny skies both days and a high near 38 both days.
After midnight on Friday, there’s more of a mess with rain possibly mixed with snow and then all rain after 4am. Wind is up to 23mph with gusts as high as 36mph. Saturday, there’s rain, mainly before 1pm and a high of 51. Winds up to 29mph with gusts as high as 44mph. The forecast for Sunday and Monday is for partly sunny days with a temperature high up to 29 and lots of wind again with gusts of 30 or more mph.
- Delays 1-8-24 (1/7/2024)
Various School Districts Having Morning Storm Delays
The following School Districts are having a 2 hour delay on Monday, January 8, 2024: Ashburnham-Westminster, Athol-Royalston, Fitchburg, Gardner, Leominster, Lunenburg, Montachusett Regional Voc. Tech, Narragansett Regional, Quabbin Regional, The Village School – Royalston, Wachusett Regional, and Winchendon- If your community is not listed, it may not have a delay or there may be updated information. Latest closings and delays, CLICK HERE.
- Update 1-7-24 (1/7/2024)
First snowfall of 2024 still delivering the White Stuff
UPDATE: As of 6:30pm on January 7, 2024, the National Weather Service reported various snowfall totals for the Greater Gardner Area.
Lunenburg: 413pm – 17.1 inches, Leominster 531pm – 15.9 inches, Princeton: 122pm: 15 inches, Rutland noon: 12 inches, Gardner: 3:01pm – 11.5 inches, and Baldwinville 130pm: 10 inches, See National Weather Service data for the State, CLICK HERE
As of 6:3pm there should be no customers in the Greater Gardner area without power according to this map, CLICK HERE, but there were 325 active outages and over 15,000 customers without power statewide.
- Power 1-7-24 (1/7/2024)
Over 150 power outages in Massachusetts Affecting just under 15,000 Customers in the State as of 9:30am
As of 9:30am on Thursday, January, 7, 2024, there were about 400 customers without power in the Greater Gardner area – Gardner and Westminster. Power was expected to be restored about 11:15am to local customers. For the latest power outage map, CLICK HERE. Snow is still falling as of this report.
- Parking 1-6-24 (1/5/2024)
Forecast Storm for Saturday Results in Parking Ban
Parking Ban in the City of Gardner begins at 11:30am Saturday January 6th and ends Monday morning January 8th at 6am.
Latest weather information at the Greater Gardner Weather Center, CLICK HERE.
- Snow Kidding (1/4/2024)
First Snow of Year May Appear Saturday into Sunday
All of the forecast sources at the Gardner Magazine Weather Center show the strong possibility of snow from late Saturday into Sunday. Up to 8 inches of snow is possible. However, we caution our readers as the forecast for the first accumulating snow of the season is often inaccurate one way or the other. So expect less or more, plan for Winter Driving Safety – see article with suggestions, and drive carefully if you must be on the road.
- Snow Elusive (12/31/2023)
Snow Elusive so Far this Season
Will there be snow this winter in the Greater Gardner area? The long-term forecast shows a little ice mixing with rain on January 9th with some rain on the 10th. A forecast of snow at times on Monday, January 15th with snow mixing with rain, sleet, and freezing rain on the 16th. Rain on January 22nd, periods of snow, sleet and freezing rain on the 23rd. In February: Snow mixing with rain, sleet, and freezing rain on the 9th. This info is from Accuweather. Will any of these predictions so far out be accurate? Will we get a big snowstorm? Time will tell.
Gardner Magazine features the general weather forecast and temperatures at the top of its pages. But, there’s something even better. The Greater Gardner Weather Center with a number of forecast sources, maps, and airport conditions. CLICK HERE.
- DPW Tree (12/18/2023)
Gardner MA DPW Responds When it Counts – resident is grateful
On December 18, 2023, Gardner resident Kristel Estores posted, “A big Thankyou to Gardner DPW. I emailed this morning about a tree down on my street and the Director responded immediately and sent out a crew.“ The Greater Gardner area was experiencing high wind gusts and rain.
- Safety 2023 (12/14/2023)
Shown is a cracked chimney which could lead to a chimney fire. Also shown are suggestions from MEMA for a Winter Emergency Car Kit.
BE SAFE OUT THERE!
Winter Safety Tips at Home or on the Road
Gardner Fire Dept.: At home it pays to keep heating equipment and even your home’s chimney in good operating condition. The Gardner Fire Department posted about a chimney fire which occurred on December 10th. “Gardner Tower 1 operating at a chimney fire on Keys road last evening. We can’t stress enough how important it is to have your chimney inspected and cleaned by a licensed professional. Cracks in your chimney can lead to a chimney fire spreading into your house.”
Common Sense Safety: Other common sense tips include never running generators indoors, never using gasoline to start a fireplace, and never burning charcoal indoors. And of course, never use extension cords for a space heater – plug directly in to the outlet instead and keep 3 feet away from any sources of ignition. We published an article in February 2023 about Gardner Fire Department proactive efforts to save lives. More tips from Weather.gov, click here.
Winter Driving Tips from MEMA: The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) has suggestions for what to carry in your car to help in case of emergency. From MEMA: “Is your vehicle ready for safe winter driving? Have a winter emergency car kit in the trunk and make sure all parts of your vehicle are ready for winter (wipers, tires, etc.)” Facebook page, CLICK HERE. Website, CLICK HERE.
From Gardner PD: We did an interview and article last December with Gardner Police Chief Eric McAvene about Winter Safety. If you missed it, here it is:
- Winter 23-24 (11/9/2023)
Get detailed Weather Information anytime 24/7 at our Greater Gardner Weather Center.
Prediction: Greater Gardner MA Could Have Warmer Winter
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, there’s an even chance the Greater Gardner area could have warmer than normal weather this winter. From NOAA “El Nino is in place heading into winter for the first time in four years, driving the outlook for warmer-than-average temperatures.” In addition, NOAA predicts drier-than-average conditions in the Northern Tier of the U.S. The Greater Gardner area has about equal chances of having normal amounts of precipitation where other nearby parts of Massachusetts and South are forecast to have above normal seasonal precipitation. As far as drought, there is no drought predicted for the near future in Greater Gardner MA.
New this year: The Experimental Probabilistic Winter Storm Severity Index. It is an interactive map which attempts to show potential winter storm impacts ranging from minor, moderate, major, and extreme. The terms are defined on the page, CLICK HERE.
Also very interesting is the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center. It is also very interactive, CLICK HERE.
Outlook Maps: Seasonal Temperature – Seasonal Precipitation – Seasonal Drought – CLICK IMAGE for larger view
- Tornado Warning (7/21/2023)
The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning in effect until 5pm on July 21, 2023 for the Petersham, Templeton, Gardner area. A severe thunderstorm was occurring around 4:30pm. A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 8pm on July 21, 2023. A flash Food Warning is in effect until 6pm for Northern Worcester County and Northeastern Franklin County.
- Air Quality 7-18 (7/18/2023)
Regional Air Quality July 18, 2023 
National Air Quality Map July 18, 2023 Check Air Quality at any time through this official AirNow.gov page.
Greater Gardner MA Air Quality Continues to be Affected by Canadian Wildfires
Air quality on July 18, 2023 is 60, which is in the moderate category. EPA advises that if you are unusually sensitive to particle pollution, consider reducing your activity level or shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors.
For reference, Good, GREEN color is 0–50, Yellow, MODERATE IS 51-100, Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, ORANGE, is 101-150, Unhealthy, RED, is 151-200, Very Unhealthy, PURPLE,is 201-300, and Hazardous, RED BROWN, is 301-500.
Legend Current conditions are much improved over what they were at the beginning of July. And on June 7, 2023, Gardner Magazine published an article in which there were Unhealthy (151-200) and Very Unhealthy(201-300) conditions in the area and Northeast. It has depended on the nature of the fires in Canada and the direction of winds.
- Red Flag Warning (4/11/2023)
National Weather Service Issues Red Flag Warning for Greater Gardner MA
The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning good until 7pm on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. The affected area includes all of Massachusetts except for Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. Winds are expected to gust up to 30mph and relative humidity is expected to be between 15 and 25 percent, resulting in very dry winds which has the potential of potentially critical fire weather conditions. Any fires that start may spread rapidly and become difficult to extinguish.
The Gardner MA Fire Department posted “no outside burning is allowed today in the City of Gardner due to the Red Flag conditions.”
UPDATE: April 12, 2023 – Another Red Flag Warning was issued for Wednesday April 12, 2023. However, at this time, due to decreased winds on Thursday, April 13, 2023, a Red Flag Warning may not be issued. Please be sure to call your local Fire Department prior to initiating any burning on any day during the Open Burning Season. This is a requirement of the permit.
UPDATE: April 13, 2023 – The Gardner Fire Department posted that there is “NO Outside burning in the City of Gardner today.”
- Power Outages (3/15/2023)
Power Being Restored – Some Still Hard Hit in Greater Gardner MA
Area communities are still recovering from the Storm of 2023. Statewide, 29,215 are without power. Hardest hit as of 8:00am on March 15, 2023 are the following communities with the number of residents and percentage without power: Winchendon residents on Social Media have reported receiving texts from National Grid informing them that power will be back on by 11pm on March 16, 2023 (tomorrow)
UPDATE: 6:05PM 3/15/23: Considerable Improvement. We added a column which now shows the progress since the morning of March 15, 2023. Statewide: 9.979 still without power.
Community Number without
8amNumber Without 6pm %
6pmWinchendon 2259 606 14% Hubbardston 691 84 4% Ashby 1444 817 57% Townsend 2567 850 21% Lunenburg 1350 730 14% Gardner 281 18 <1% Westminster 320 2 <1% Royalston 90 68 11% Athol 32 0 0% Barre 321 1 <1% Rutland 158 56 1% New Salem 30 0 0% Petersham 103 13 2% Fitchburg 2929 1273 6% Leominster 748 159 1%
- Wind Chill (2/3/2023)
Weather Forecast Predicts Dangerous Wind Chill as low as 45 degrees below zero through Saturday 2/4/23.
- Dodging Bullet (1/26/2023)
Shown are Before and After Rain pictures of Gardner Police Headquarters and trees at MWCC. Previous Half dozen stories about this storm and earlier in the week are on our Public Safety page, CLICK HERE.
Region “Dodges Bullet” as Angelic Pouring Rain Washes Away Ice & Snow from Trees
Saying he’d issue a more formal statement later, Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson stated, “We seem to have dodged the bullet with this storm and are de-mobilizing our shelter units. Most places in the City have power restored…” The Gardner Mayor had a detailed plan in place should the conditions have required it and now has a definitive blueprint should another storm of this type occur in the future. This was yesterday’s Press Release, Click Here.
At 3:45pm on 1/26/23 the following numbers of customers are without power: Gardner: 1, Westminster: 7, Winchendon: 32, Hubbardston: 1, Phillipston: 3, Royalston: 65, Athol: 8.
Update 8:45pm on 1/26/23: MEMA is showing no power outages in the above communities. MAP
- Storm Plan (1/24/2023)
Listen to Mayor Nicholson on any device. Click Play.
Mayor Nicholson 1-24-23 6pm 
Storm Plan Improving news 6:50pm 1-24-23: Counts at this hour of customers without power: Gardner – 70, Winchendon -476, Royalston – 340, Phillipston – 145, Hubbardston – 199, Westminster – 1023, Ashby -309.
Gardner MA Mayor Michael Nicholson Directs Proactive Plan to Deal with Current and Future Storm
Complete Press Release in pdf format, Click Here.
Current Storm
Just under 300 properties in Gardner are still without power, so the Mayor has activated an Emergency Overnight Shelter at the Gardner Senior Center for 1/24 to 1/25, with the City providing 25 cots for the purpose. Shelter will be staffed with Community Response Team volunteers and a police officer.
Planning for Wednesday, January 25th
Remaining cots from the 500 provided by FEMA and the National Guard during the 2008 Ice Storm will remain in their storage trailer but be staged in case of need at the Gardner Middle School. The reason is the concern regarding the Wednesday through Thursday storm which could produce 4 to 7 inches of heavy snow and cause additional power outages from tree damage and wire issues. A second shelter will open if needed at the Gardner Middle School – the City has proactively already purchased supplies. Shelters would remain open until power is restored to most areas of the City.
Additional Measures
The City’s Emergency Operations center is ready for activation at the Gardner Police Department and additional information will be provided to the public by numerous communication outlets when needed. An on-street parking ban will be in effect from Wednesday, January 25th at 8pm to Thursday, January 26th at 7:30am.
- Storm Update 1-24-23 (1/24/2023)
Much of the power restored in Gardner MA by 2pm, Winchendon still 18% without power, other communities still struggling. Current MEMA Power Outage map, CLICK HERE.
Gardner Storm Update 
Power Outage Map 2pm 1-24-23 AUDIO From Mayor Nicholson on the storm situation:
Nicholson 1-24-23 Nicholson at 5pm 1-23-23 Affected Customers Dropping
The number of customers without power in Gardner dropped to 281. Warming Centers are open in various communities. In Gardner, the Senior Center, the Community Room at the Police Station are open and are also offering hot soup. The Levi-Heywood Memorial Library also welcomes people needing to stay warm.
Supermarkets Affected
Walmart appears still closed as the phone still rings and rings. That situation may change rapidly. Hannaford employees were seen replacing meat on the shelves that was in a refrigerated truck since last night. However, produce was not on the shelves and customers were not allowed to purchase frozen foods – an employee stated they are presumed lost. Replacement items not expected until Friday. Price Chopper did not answer the line, but a corporate spokesman called the store and reported they are open and at full capacity. An Athol Market Basket spokesman confirmed that they are open and everything is available. Market Basket also has a generator system so a power outage would not affect them. FYI: Stores in Fitchburg and Leominster could be an option as that area was less affected.
South Gardner Affected Longer
Gardner Mayor Nicholson on the morning of January 24, 2023 stated that the majority of power outages were in South Gardner which is fed from the Westminster Substation and that warming centers would be open until at least 7pm.
Upcoming Wednesday Storm Preparation
The Mayor expressed concern for the storm tomorrow indicating a meeting later today with several department heads.”We will be evaluating the process for opening up temporary emergency shelters, the threshold for which a state of emergency would need to be called, our salt supply quantity, emergency food operations, and other topics. I will provide additional information to you all after that time.” Last evening around 8pm , 2,274 customers were without power in Gardner and another storm is predicted for Wednesday evening into Thursday.
Earlier version of this story including incremental updates, CLICK HERE.
- Power Outages (1/23/2023)
Power Outages 
Power Outages Power Outages in Greater Gardner MA Area on January 23, 2023
Various communities are without power according to MEMA as of 9pm 1/23: Communities affected include: Winchendon with a 36% power outage and 1611 customers , Gardner with a 23% power outage and 2275 customers , Westminster with a 54% power outage and 2013 customers , Hubbardston with an 84% power outage and 1665 customers, Petersham with a 12% power outage and 78 customers, Royalston with a 63% power outage and 440 customers , and Ashby with a 33% power outage and 468 customers affected. MEMA did not report any customers without power in Templeton and Ashburnham.
Gardner and some surrounding communities are among the hardest hit in the state as of 9:30pm on 1/23/23.
Here’s the Massachusetts Emergency Management Latest Power Outage Map, CLICK HERE.
- Winter Wonderland (1/21/2023)
Gardner MA Winter Wonderland
On Saturday afternoon, January 21, 2023, previous snow made the City look beautiful. We show Gardner High School, the Big Chair, the big Tree on Parker Street, Gardner City Hall, the fields at GHS, Gardner Elementary, and the Gardner PD.
And the National Weather Service issued a Winter Weather Advisory from 7pm Sunday to 4pm Monday.
Looks like more of the white stuff is coming! Drive Safely..
- Repeating Weather (1/4/2023)
Freezing Rain Repeats One Year Later in Greater Gardner MA
One year ago: On January 5, 2022 Gardner Magazine reported, “Wednesday, January 5, 2022 was a busy morning for Gardner MA first responders as freezing rain caused extremely icy conditions leading to numerous accidents. As Gardner MA Fire Department reported, “As they came upon the first accident scene, they could look further down Rt 2 into Templeton and see multiple accidents and cars off the road.”
Weather for January 5, 2023 calls for a possibility of freezing drizzle in the morning, during the day, or evening (depending on when cold air arrives) and various schools have called for a 2 hour delay including Gardner MA.
- Drought (7/17/2022)
Greater Gardner MA in a Significant Drought
The Greater Gardner Area is experiencing a LEVEL 2 – Significant Drought. According to the State of MA, this means that rain has been well below normal for over 2 months, streams are low, nearing extreme low flows in some areas, the Fire Danger is steadily increasing, and the Strain on some water supplies is greater.
In this instance, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Bethany Card made an announcement after lower than normal rainfall for the past 4 months. According to the State, “Stream flow is severely impacted with dry stream beds and ponding visible in many locations. Fire Danger especially in the northern half of the state is steadily on the rise, with noticeable drought stress in shrubs and grasses. Also drought conditions are starting to impact our farms, with losses in soil moisture, more heavy irrigation needed in some areas due to lack of precipitations, and some initial signs of crop loss.”
Massachusetts Drought Status Map and U.S. Drought Map – locally Level 2 – Significant
Maps Show the level of drought in Massachusetts and the National Map shows other sections of the United States are in worse shape. More from the state of MA, Drought Plan CLICK HERE. MA Drought Status History, CLICK HERE Printable U.S. Drought Map (with legend) pdf, CLICK HERE. U.S. Drought Monitor website link, CLICK HERE.
How you can help: Minimize overall water use. Limit outdoor watering from 5pm to 9am, and temporarily stop installing new landscapes and plants. To minimize fire hazard, exercise caution when using charcoal grills, backyard fire pits, and other open frame outdoor activities.
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- Snow Removal – CLICK on any image for larger view (1/31/2022)
Snow well-cleared on Parker Street 
Theme in Window “Shop Local” Gardner MA Accessibility 2 Days After Snow
Most areas accessible, However Bullnose Park not cleared – Entrance to Dog Park not open
Gardner Fire Department 
Happy 2022 at Velvet Goose 
Post Office and City Hall 
Priscilla Candy Shop 
Bullnose Park 
Gardner Dog Park – Wright St. side - Winter Weather (1/14/2022)
Each individual community under “AROUND THE TOWNS” has an individual forecast and there’s in-depth coverage at the Greater Gardner Weather Center.
Winter Weather Forecasts Greater Gardner MA
Gardner Magazine’s Greater Gardner Weather Center has forecasts from 4 different services which include not only the 7 day forecast, but also wind, humidity, barometric pressure, sunrise/sunset times, and precipitation. There’s also conditions at a number of area airports. For the best weather, CLICK HERE
- Cold Weather (1/11/2022)
Avoid Fire and Carbon Monoxide Hazards during Greater Gardner MA Cold Snap
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarms are effective defense strategies. Space Heaters, Fireplaces, and woodstoves need to be used safely. We have the complete article. CLICK HERE
- Freezing Rain (1/6/2022)
Freezing Rain Morning
Wednesday, January 5, 2022 was a busy morning for Gardner MA first responders as freezing rain caused extremely icy conditions leading to numerous accidents. As Gardner MA Fire Department reported, “As they came upon the first accident scene, they could look further down Rt 2 into Templeton and see multiple accidents and cars off the road.”
“Gardner Fire Shift Commander Lt. Meagher advised they would be tied up with Multiple accidents on Rt. 2 and requested a group recall for station coverage. At this point, Gardner 911 dispatch began receiving multiple 911 calls for numerous motor vehicle accidents and pedestrians slipping and falling on the icy streets across the City….During an hour long period, Gardner 911 Dispatchers received and professionally handled over 100, 911 storm related calls while guiding Fire and EMS units to the scenes”
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- Road Ice (1/5/2022)
Ice on Greater Gardner MA Roads
At around 9am on Wednesday January 5, 2022, Gardner DPW issued the following, “Please stay off the roads this morning. The DPW is asking residents to limit travel to necessary travel. The conditions are extremely dangerous. Pedestrians should be aware that sidewalks are also extremely dangerous.”
Numerous reports of accidents were posted on Facebook including one report of a multi-vehicle accident on Route 101 in East Templeton. Other posts refer to several accidents in Gardner and bad conditions on Route 140. More details as they become available.
- Winter Weather (12/4/2021)
Gardner Magazine has a Complete Weather Center for the Greater Gardner area.
Greater Gardner MA Winter Weather Outlook
Will Greater Gardner MA be colder or warmer this winter? Will we get more snow or less? And how do we know. We have the answers including NOAA maps and an informational video in our complete article. CLICK HERE
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