Strong gusts and snow blast Rockport Granite Pier — 3:32 p.m.
After spiking just before noon, the speeds of the northeast winds are beginning to taper slightly; their howl of a lower pitch. Old Granite Pier, built for vessels to haul great slabs of granite from nearby Flat Ledge, Steel Derrick, and Carlson quarries a century ago for the Rockport Quarry Co., stoutly juts out into Sandy Bay. From the end of the pier, the full force of the full-on blizzard can be seen, heard, and felt.
Although the wind shrieks through the masts of the winterized boats on the lower pier, there appears to be no damage.
Farther out at sea, a buoy registers 17.4 foot seas and wind gusts pushing 65 miles per hour.
‘No one should be leaving their house’: Red Cross urges people to stay home — 3:30 p.m.
The Red Cross of Massachusetts is urging residents to stay indoors, according to Kelly Isenor, a spokeswoman for the organization.
The organization canceled all blood drives on Saturday and there are no…