Four-foot snow drifts in front of The Nashua Telegraph office on Main Street two days after the region was hit by a major snowstorm on Jan. 25. Telegraph photo by CHRISTOPHER ROBERSON

NASHUA – The Gate City was walloped by a massive winter storm during the afternoon and overnight hours of Jan. 25, producing conditions that have not been seen in 10 years.

It left behind 20 inches of snow, drifts as high as four feet and huge icicles hanging like frozen daggers suspended in time.

“Our winters have changed a lot, this was a throwback,” said Lauren Byers, communications and recreation administrator for the Division of Public Works. “This used to be more common.”

She said that despite the high snowfall totals, there were no surprises with this storm.

“We were ready for this one,” said Byers. “Light fluffy snow and long intensity, we got all of that.”

Massive icicles hang off the Charger Water building on East Hollis Street two days after the region was hit by a major snowstorm on Jan. 25. Telegraph photo by CHRISTOPHER ROBERSON

With temperatures in the teens and single digits, the snow was more of a powder and less likely to stick to the roads after plowing. Therefore, she said Liquid Brine was not needed to pre-treat the roads prior to the storm’s arrival.

“Mostly, we were concentrating on snow removal,” said Byers, adding that salt and sand are ineffective in temperatures below 20 degrees.

She said crews were out by 11 a.m. to meet the first squall lines. After 4 p.m., the DPW had 70 plows on the road to keep up with the most intense part of the storm.

Speaking about the workload, Byers said Nashua has 41 plow routes with each route taking up to four hours to complete.

Alderwoman-at-Large Alicia Gregg lauded the DPW plow drivers for their responsiveness.

Snow drifts along Ayer Street two days after the region was hit by a major snowstorm on Jan. 25. Telegraph photo by CHRISTOPHER ROBERSON

“While most of us were inside safe and warm, they were out there in dangerous conditions working around the clock to keep our streets clear and our city moving,” she said. “Their commitment to serving Nashua doesn’t go unnoticed and we are incredibly grateful for their hard work and dedication.”

During the storm, State Police responded to more than 160 weather-related emergencies. Within that total, 46 vehicle crashes were reported between 1 p.m. on Jan. 25 to 9 p.m. on Jan. 26 resulting in seven injuries. Troopers also responded to 77 vehicles that had slid off the road and provided assistance to 38 motorists whose vehicles were stuck.

Snow drifts along Webster Street two days after the region was hit by a major snowstorm on Jan. 25. Telegraph photo by CHRISTOPHER ROBERSON

A huge icicle hangs off a home on Hall Avenue two days after the region was hit by a major snowstorm on Jan. 25. Telegraph photo by CHRISTOPHER ROBERSON