Gov. Baker Urges Drivers To Get Home Before Snow Arrives

BOSTON (CBS) – Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker urged drivers heading home from Thanksgiving travels to do so as early as possible before a significant winter storm arrives Sunday afternoon.

Read: December Will Start With Up To A Foot Of Snow, Making Travel Difficult

Conditions are quiet to start the day on Sunday, but heavy snow arrives around 2 p.m. The bulk of the snow arrives late Sunday into early Monday morning, and interior locations could see 1-2 inches per hour. There will then be a lull before a second wave of snow arrives Monday into Tuesday, totaling a foot or more in some areas.

"I do think we got some benefits from the fact that the storm made it very clear it was coming," said Baker. "Our hope is a lot of people will take advantage of the opportunity to get home early."

Sunday is normally one of the busies traffic days of the year as families return home after Thanksgiving. But Baker said many drivers heeded warnings to instead travel a day early. Baker said there was heavier traffic in the state on Saturday than usual on this weekend.

As for Sunday, Baker said drivers should stay off the roads if possible when the storm arrives.

"The more people can do to get where they need to go before the storm so the plows and the equipment we'll have out on the roads can just do their jobs, that makes it easier with respect to tomorrow morning when everyone will be going hopefully back to work," Baker said.

Baker said the MBTA's new snow fighting equipment will be on "full display" during the storm. He said the goal is for MBTA to provide full service, but urged riders to check the MBTA's social media accounts.