[ccfic caption-text format="plaintext"]
By Laura Drinan
Hometown Weekly Reporter
In Australia, the sweltering heat is so intense that it has caused some asphalt roads to partially melt, and locals are wishing for relief from the triple-digit temperatures with cooler weather.
However, here in Massachusetts, the cold weather is not welcome as temperatures hover around zero, dipping into the negatives with wind chill.
With the bomb cyclone blasting the east coast with blizzard conditions and bone-chilling temperatures, many in Westwood bundled up and cranked up the heat for the first snowstorm of 2018, wondering if they’d rather trade places with our friends down under.
A mountain of snow greets Westwood High School students for their return from two snow days after the bomb cyclone.
As the dangerous temperatures moved in on New England, Westwood Chief of Police Jeff Silva reminded locals via social media to be extra considerate of their pets’ wellbeing in the extreme cold, to clear all snow from vehicles before driving, and to drive safely in these hazardous conditions. He also shared resources to learn more about school closings and snow and ice parking bans.
While it’s crucial to understand the dangers that come along with 14 inches of snow and frigid air, there was certainly a lot of fun to be had once the shoveling was finished. With snow days for Westwood Public Schools on Thursday and Friday, students enjoyed a long weekend after having just returned to school from winter vacation. Surely, the second snow day of 2018 would be filled with sledding, snow angel and snowman making, and hot chocolate.
Although Westwood students had permission to stay home all day, others found themselves in the busy center of town, where massive snow banks lining the road made the area look like a sprawling snow fortress.
The Westwood Public Library cleared its parking lot and entrance early in the morning so that patrons could visit during the snow day.
The rest of the town was busy as well once the snow finished falling, working to clear the roads, reopen businesses, and assess any damage the storm might have brought to home and business owners.
While many are hoping this winter won’t bring any more snow to Westwood and that spring will come early this year, fingers are crossed that the summer won’t deliver any extreme temperatures, either.
