Spring began this morning, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to put your winter gear away.

A cold front is making its way toward the region this afternoon, and we’ll see some rain developing ahead of that front tonight. Rain will continue overnight, ending Friday morning as the front moves across the region. We’ll clear out quickly Friday afternoon, with gusty northwest winds ushering some cooler air into the region. High pressure then builds in for Saturday with a milder day, but we’ll see clouds quickly returning ahead of a weak cold front. That front may produce a couple of showers late Saturday afternoon or evening, but most of us will remain dry. Behind it, colder air moves back in for Saturday night and Sunday, despite clear skies. Clouds move right back in Sunday evening, as another system quickly heads our way. This system is a little more complicated. While we’re looking at a chilly, wet day on Monday for much of the region, there may be just enough cold air in place for the rain to start as snow, mainly well north and west of Boston. If it starts before daybreak, we could even see a little accumulation in spots, mainly southern New Hampshire. Any snow should change over to rain during the morning, with periods of rain and showers likely for much of the day.

Thursday night: Mostly cloudy with areas of fog, rain developing after midnight. Low 37-44.

Friday: Showers end in the morning, skies start to clear out from west to east in the afternoon, becoming breezy. High 43-50.

Friday night: Clear skies with diminishing winds, some clouds may start to move back in towards daybreak. Low 31-38.

Saturday: Partly sunny, breezy, just a very slight chance for a late-day shower. High 53-60.

Saturday night: Becoming clear. Low 23-30.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, breezy, clouds start to return by evening. High 40-47.

Sunday night: Becoming mostly cloudy, chance for rain towards daybreak, possibly starting as wet snow well north and west of Boston. Low 27-34, temperatures start rising after midnight.

Monday: Mostly cloudy with rain likely, possibly some wet snow early in the day across southern New Hampshire. High 43-50.

Another messy storm is heading our way for the weekend.

The system that brought us a mix of snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain earlier today will pull away and high pressure builds in with clearing and colder weather tonight into Friday. If you’re heading out this evening use caution as any untreated surfaces may ice up pretty quickly. Clouds start to move back in Friday night as another storm heads our way, and this one looks quite complicated.

Low pressure will move out of the Ohio Valley and head towards New England. We’ll see snow developing ahead of the storm Saturday afternoon, continuing into the evening hours. However, warmer air will start to move in aloft, with snow changing to sleet and freezing rain by early Sunday, and eventually plain rain along the South Coast and into parts of Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. A secondary area of low pressure will then develop, and pass right across southern New England, while what’s left of the original system crosses Northern New England. The question becomes, how far north does the warmer air get, both aloft and at the surface. The warmer air aloft may get as far north as central portions of Vermont and New Hampshire, resulting in snow changing to sleet and freezing rain. Before the changeover takes place, we could be looking at 2-4″ of accumulation south of the Mass Pike (less near the South Coast), with 3-6″ to the north, possibly more across southern New Hampshire if the changeover is a little slower to occur. At the surface, the cold air may remain locked in across most of New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, and even interior portions of southern New England, with temperatures not getting above freezing. As a result, we could be looking at a significant ice storm, especially from the hills of northern Rhode Island and northeastern Connecticut, across central Massachusetts and into much of southern New Hampshire, away from the Seacoast. Across eastern Massachusetts, temperatures may be warm enough for just plain rain for the bulk of the storm after the initial burst of snow. as the storm pulls away, some colder air may move back in, allowing for the precipitation to possibly change back to snow before ending Sunday night, then high pressure builds in with cold and dry conditions on Monday.

Thursday night: Clearing, breezy. Low 18-25.

Friday: Sunshine and a few afternoon clouds, breezy. High 26-33.

Friday night: Increasing and thickening clouds. Low 9-16.

Saturday: Cloudy with light snow developing in the afternoon. High 25-32.

Saturday night: Snow changing to sleet and freezing rain, possibly all rain near the South coast. Low 21-28, temperatures start rising after midnight.

Sunday: Sleet and freezing rain across the interior, rain inside of 495 and south and east of I-95, possibly changing back to snow late in the day, breezy. High 27-34 north of the Mass Pike, 35-42 south of the Pike.

Sunday night: Snow or rain ending before midnight, some gradual clearing late at night, breezy. Low 15-22.

Monday: Partly sunny, windy, colder. High 25-32.

An active weather pattern will continue through the weekend but our first signs of Spring will also show up.

Clouds will stream into the region tonight ahead of a low pressure area moving into the Ohio Valley. A warm front ahead of the system will move in on Friday, with some rain developing ahead of it, though there may be enough cold air in place for a little freezing rain or snow as you get into parts of central and southern New Hampshire at the start. Much of the afternoon will feature some light rain and mild temperatures, but as the system passes by, colder air will start to work its way in, with rain changing to snow across southern New Hampshire during the evening, with the rain/snow line likely getting down to the Mass Pike before the precipitation ends a little after midnight. We’re not expecting much accumulation, just an inch or two, mainly north of Route 2. The bigger issue might be icy conditions developing on the roads. Temperatures will drop below freezing during the overnight, and the roads will still be wet from the rain, so they could ice up pretty quickly once the rain changes over, and before road crews have a chance to treat the roads. Keep this in mind in you will be out late Friday night.

High pressure builds in for Saturday with sunshine and colder conditions, but it will be short-lived. Clouds come right back in by Sunday morning as an Alberta Clipper makes its way across southern Canada. We’ll see this system spread in some light snow Sunday evening and night, but again, we’re not expecting more than an inch or two, and again it will be mainly north of the Mass Pike. In fact, there may not be any precipitation from this system south of the Pike. The snow ends Monday morning, then we’ll turn partly sunny and rather milder for the afternoon. However, a cold front trailing the system will move in by late in the day, possibly producing a few more rain showers.

We also have two signs that Spring is nearly here coming this weekend. First, Sunday is Groundhog Day. According to tradition, if the groundhog emerges from its burrow and sees its shadow, and will go back inside and winter will last for 6 more weeks. If it doesn’t see its shadow, spring will arrive early. The most famous celebration of this day takes place in Punxsutawney, PA, where Punxsutawney Phil is brought out every year. He has only seen his shadow 20 times in the 138 years this has been recorded. Secondly, Monday is Truck Day. That is the day the Red Sox equipment truck gets loaded up at Fenway Park and begins the drive southward to Fort Myers, Florida. Pitchers and catchers will have their first workout of Spring Training on February 12.

Thursday night: Becoming mostly cloudy. Low 17-24 during the evening, temperatures start rising after midnight.

Friday: Cloudy with rain developing by early afternoon, possibly mixed with a little freezing rain or snow across central and southern New Hampshire at the start. High 37-44.

Friday night: Mostly cloudy with rain changing to snow from north to south during the evening, ending shortly after midnight. Low 24-31.

Saturday: Becoming partly to mostly sunny, breezy, and colder. High 30-37.

Saturday night: Clear during the evening, clouds start to move back in after midnight. Low 4-11.

Sunday: Becoming cloudy, some light snow or snow showers may develop by evening. High 28-35.

Sunday night: Cloudy with light snow or snow showers likely. Low 21-28 during the evening, temperatures rise overnight.

Monday: Plenty of clouds with some sunny breaks developing, a few rain showers possible late in the day, breezy. High 42-49.

We’ve got good news and bad news for the weekend forecast. Good: It’s going to turn milder and rain, to get rid of some of the snow on the ground. Bad: It’s going to turn colder and snow again.

Lots of rapid changes will be happening over the next several days across the region. First, we have a weak system swing through tonight, producing some flurries and snow showers through the evening. They may coat the ground in some spots, with a little more than a coating near the South Coast and the Cape, but this is not a big deal. High pressure builds in for Friday with sunshine and seasonably chilly temperatures, but then the changes really begin. Clouds move in Friday night ahead of a strong cold front. Saturday looks to be a mild day ahead of that front, with much of the region topping 40 degrees in the afternoon. However, we’ll have some rain moving in, though it won’t be that heavy. The rain ends Saturday night as the front moves through, but that front will slow down or stall out just offshore. Sunday looks to be colder, but still near normal for mid-January with some breaks of sun in the morning, but we’ll quickly cloud back up in the afternoon.

A wave of low pressure will ride along that front Sunday night, but exactly where the front stalls out will be a key part of this forecast. With that wave moving back, we’ll have a period of light snow Sunday night into early Monday. The farther offshore the front is, the lighter the amounts as you head farther inland. The closer to the coast, the better chance for some rain at the start late Sunday. In general, it’s not going to be a big storm, but many of us could see 2-4″ of new snow on the ground when you wake up Monday morning. There is the potential for a little more, especially south of Boston, but those are details we can iron out over the next couple of days. As the system pulls away on Monday, much colder air will flood into the region, with temperatures dropping during the day. Tuesday and Wednesday are going to be very cold days, with many places likely not reaching 20 for highs, and nighttime lows dropping into the single numbers or below zero. We’ll have much more detail on that in our Weekly Outlook early Monday.

Thursday night: Some flurries or snow showers this evening, skies start to clear out late at night. Low 14-21.

Friday: Becoming sunny. High 30-37.

Friday night: Clear during the evening, clouds start to move back in after midnight. Low 20-27 during the evening, temperatures may rise a little after midnight.

Saturday: Cloudy and breezy with rain showers developing in the afternoon. High 40-47.

Saturday night: Showers end in the evening, partial clearing after midnight. Low 27-34.

Sunday: Some morning sun, then clouds return with light snow developing before evening, some rain could be mixed in at the start across Cape Cod. High 36-43.

Sunday night: Light snow likely, ending by daybreak. Low 14-21.

Monday: A mix of sun and clouds, breezy, and turning colder. High 20-27, except 27-34 across Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts, but temperatures may start dropping in the afternoon.