#Snow

Weekend Outlook: January 30 – February 2, 2026

wxmanscottkLeave a comment

We’re going to separate fantasy from reality in regards to a potential weekend storm, but first we’ve got some very cold weather to deal with.

Cold Weather Advisories are in effect for most of the region. Image provided by the National Weather Service office in Norton, MA.

If it hasn’t been cold enough for you this week, then we have good news for you – it’s going to get even cold for the next couple of days. A reinforcing shot of arctic air moves in tonight on gusty north to northwest winds. Temperatures will likely drop below zero across much of the region overnight, but when you factor in the wind, it will feel like 15 to 25 below zero by morning. While the winds will only slowly slacken on Friday, and we’ll have plenty of sunshine, it will remain quite cold, with highs likely staying in the teens. Another very cold night is expected Friday night, and with diminishing winds, some radiational cooling is expected, so we’ll once again drop below zero in much of the region. Saturday will also be chilly, but not as cold as Friday, with highs likely getting into the 20s. We’ll also have more sunshine, but high clouds will start to stream in during the afternoon and evening ahead of a low pressure system developing off the Southeast coast.

Bitterly cold wind chills are expected Friday morning. Image provided by WeatherBell.

Despite the hype all week, we are not expecting another major snowstorm for much of the region at this point. Oh, it could still happen, but the odds continue to decrease for most (but not all) of the region. As the low heads northward on Sunday, it will rapidly strengthen – you’ve probably heard the term “bombogenesis” used. This term has been around for a long time, and the definition is a storm whose lowest pressure falls by 24mb or more over a 24 hour period. If you look at your home barometer, it’s probably reading around 29.9″ of mercury right now, which is about 1013mb. The low pressure system that will spawn our ocean storm is currently over northern Texas with a minimum pressure of 1015mb. By the time it reaches the Carolina coast, it should be down to around 1008mb. When it passes well south and east of New England Sunday night, it should be down to about 965-970mb. When a storm strengthens like that, the gradient between it and high pressure to the north will result in very strong winds, especially near the coast. This will be the case around here for Sunday and into Monday. We’re also near the astronomical high tides, so for northeast and north-facing coastal locations, some coastal flooding is possible with the high tides Sunday morning and again Monday morning.

Wind gusts in excess of 40 mph are possible on Sunday, especially along the coast. Image provided by Weathermodels.com

OK, it’s going to be cold, it’s going to be windy, there could be flooding issues along the coast, but what about snow? Well, the models aren’t in complete agreement yet, but they’re getting there, in terms of the potential for snow. For now, the system looks to be far enough offshore to prevent much of the region from a significant snowstorm. In fact, there’s a very good chance that areas north and west of Interstate 95 could see little to no snow at all. South and east of I-95, some snow is possible, becoming more likely the farther south and east you go. If anyone were to get significant snow from this, it would be Cape Cod (especially the Outer Cape), and Nantucket. Now, could the models start showing a trend closer to the coast, thus bringing more snow in farther north and west? Of course they could – the storm is still 3 days away, but at this point, it’s not looking likely. Obviously, we’ll keep a close eye on it. As the storm pulls away on Monday we’ll clear out, but winds may remain gusty.

The best chance for some snow Sunday afternoon looks to be across Cape Cod. Images provided by Pivotal Weather.

Thursday night: Evening clouds, maybe a lingering snow shower across the Outer Cape, then becoming clear and very cold. Low -4 to +3, a little milder on Cape Cod.

Friday: Sunshine and a few clouds, breezy, and cold. High 11-18.

Friday night: Mostly clear, winds diminish in the evening. Low 0 to -7, a little milder on Cape Cod.

Saturday: Sunshine dimmed by increasing afternoon high clouds. High 17-24.

Saturday night: Becoming mostly cloudy, winds start to increase late at night. Low 1-8, a little milder along the coast.

Sunday: Cloudy and windy with a chance of snow, mainly across southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod. High 21-28, a little milder across Cape Cod.

Sunday night: Any snow ending in the evening, some gradual clearing after midnight, winds slowly diminish. Low 12-19.

Monday: Becoming partly to mostly sunny, breezy in the morning. High 27-34.

Weekly Outlook: January 26 – February 1, 2026

wxmanscottkLeave a comment

Once the snow finally winds down today, chilly weather will move back in for much of the week.

Temperatures will be well below normal this week. Image provided by WeatherBell.

Low pressure will slowly pull away from the region today, with occasional light snow or snow showers for a good chunk of the day, especially north of the Mass Pike, where additional accumulations of 2-4 inches are possible (less is expected to the south). We’ll see some clearing tonight, but clouds will fill back in on Tuesday as an upper-level disturbance crosses the region, keeping temperatures on the chilly side. Another disturbance moves in on Wednesday, which may produce a few snow showers late in the day and at night. High pressure then builds in with dry and cold conditions for the latter half of the week and into the weekend. We are keeping an eye on an ocean storm late in the weekend. It’s too early to tell whether it will stay offshore with no impact or pass close enough to bring us more snow on Sunday.

Another week of model roulette awaits us. Images provided by Pivotal Weather.

Monday: Cloudy with occasional light snow and snow showers, ending by evening, breezy along the coast. Additional accumulation 2-4″ north of the Mass Pike, less than 2″ south of the Pike. High 19-26 north and west of Boston, 27-34 in the morning south of Boston with temperatures falling through the day.

Monday night: Any lingering snow showers end in the evening, becoming clear after midnight, breezy. Low 4-11.

Tuesday: Sunny in the morning, becoming partly to mostly cloudy in the afternoon. High 17-24.

Tuesday night: Becoming clear. Low -1 to +6, warmer across Cape Cod.

Wednesday: Morning sun, then clouds return. High 16-23.

Wednesday night: Partly to mostly cloudy, slight chance for a snow shower. Low -1 to +6, warmer across Cape Cod.

Thursday: Intervals of clouds and sun. High 16-23.

Thursday night: Becoming clear. Low -3 to +4.

Friday: A mix of sun and clouds. High 13-20.

Saturday: Mostly sunny. High 19-26.

Sunday: Intervals of clouds and sun, chance for snow. High 24-31.

Arctic Air and Snow Heading for New England

wxmanscottk1 Comment

The biggest snowstorm this area has seen in a few years is on the way, with arctic air preceding it.

Winter Storm Warnings are in effect from New Mexico to New England. Image provided by Pivotal Weather.

An arctic cold front will cross the region later today, producing a few snow showers or squalls, but gusty northwest winds behind the system will usher in the coldest air so far this winter for the weekend. Temperatures will plunge into the single numbers tonight with some subzero readings possible. When you factor in the wind, it will feel like it is 10 to 20 below zero if you are outside Saturday morning. Despite some sunshine, temperatures will struggle to reach the teens on Saturday, but the wind will subside. We’ll see high clouds start to stream in during the afternoon as a developing low pressure system heads our way.

Bundle up if you need to head outside for any reason Saturday morning. Image provided by WeatherBell.

That system will move into the Deep South, and a secondary area of low pressure will develop near the Carolinas or Virginia Tidewater region. as it starts to strengthen it will move northeastward, passing south and east of New England Sunday night and Monday. There is still a little question as to how far north the low gets, which has some implications on the forecast, as it could result in some sleet near the South Coast, but for the bulk of the region, we’re looking at snow, thanks to the cold air already in place.

The storm will bring wintry weather to a very large area this weekend. Loop provided by weathermodels.com

Because it will be so cold for much of the region, it will be a fluffier snow, which can pile up more quickly. The colder the air is, the less moisture it can hold. In general, 1 inch of liquid will result in 10 inches of snow when the temperature is near freezing. When temperatures are in the teens, as they will be across the interior for this storm, that ratio can change to as much as 15-20 inches of snow for 1 inch of liquid.

The colder the air, the fluffier the snow. Image provided by weather.com

Closer to the coast, especially south of Boston, temperatures will not be nearly as cold, thanks to something meteorologists refer to as a “coastal front”. Ocean temperatures remain near or a little over 40, so as winds blow over that water and reach the coast, we will see temperatures moderate into the 20s, or even lower 30s, but that air usually doesn’t penetrate too far inland. So, you end up with a sharp boundary, or front, where temperatures go from the teens to the west and 20s to the east over a span of just a few miles. Exactly where that front sets up makes a big difference, not only because it’s the difference between fluffy snow and wet snow, but also because that front provides a little bit of lift, which usually results in some of the heaviest snow totals just to the west of that coastal front. As the system starts to pull away on Monday, that coastal front will quickly move southeastward, allowing the very cold air to quickly return to southeastern Massachusetts.

The coastal front is easy to find on temperature maps for Sunday evening. Image provided by WeatherBell.

For the timing, it looks like the snow will move in near or just after midday on Sunday from southwest to northeast, reaching southern New Hampshire by mid-afternoon. The steadiest and heaviest snow is likely from about 6pm to 2am. If there is going to be any sleet near the South Coast, it will likely be between about 10pm and 3am. As the storm starts to pull away on Monday, we’ll still see occasional light snow for much of the day, with some additional accumulations possible. Everything should finally wind down and end Monday evening.

Many models show the potential for some sleet near the South Coast around midnight Sunday night. Images provided by Pivotal Weather.

Now, the part you’re all waiting for – how much snow can we expect? There’s still a few details to be worked out that will impact the final numbers (where does the coastal front set up? will there be sleet near the South Coast?), but for the most part, we feel confident enough to put the pen to the paper so to speak. For most of the region, we’re looking at a general 12-18 inches. There will be some spots that get a little more, and there could be a little less near the South Coast, especially if there’s some sleet involved.

The NWS Blend of Models is mostly closely aligned with our thinking. Image provided by Weathermodels.com

In case you’re curious, the last time some cities around here received a foot or more in a single storm:

Boston: January 29, 2022 – 23.6″
Blue Hill: January 29-30, 2022 – 27.6″
Lowell: January 6-7, 2024 – 15.8″
Worcester: January 6-7, 2024 – 15.5″
Providence: January 28-29, 2022 – 19.3″
Hartford: February 1-2, 2021 – 12.1″
Manchester: December 1-3, 2019 – 20.8″

Once this storm pulls away, cold air will remain in place for much of the upcoming week, so don’t expect any melting any time soon.

Weekend Outlook: January 23-26, 2026

wxmanscottk1 Comment

You may have heard that there’s a little storm on the way. Well, before that happens, it’s also going to get ridiculously cold. We’ll get to all of that in this blog, but we’ll tell you right now, you won’t find a forecast for snow amounts. It’s too early for that, and there’s too much uncertainty still. We’ll tell you how we think the storm will evolve and its likely impacts around here, how cold it will get Before the Storm (and how that will impact things), and lots of musical references, but we’re not going to give you a snowfall forecast. We may do that in another blog post tomorrow, but for now, we’ll leave the hype to all of the TV meteorologists and Facebook Forecasters of the world.

A variety of watches, warnings and advisories are in effect across the eastern US. Image provided by the National Weather Service Eastern Region

After a somewhat mild day today, a cold front will move through this evening, possibly accompanied by a few snow showers, but the more noticeable effect will be cooler air moving in tonight. On Friday, an arctic cold front will cross the region, possibly with some additional snow showers or squalls, and that is what will start the Change in the Weather. Bitterly cold air will flood into the region behind that front. Temperatures will plunge into the single numbers and below zero across the region, with wind chills well below zero thanks to gusty northwest winds, making you dream about those Hot Summer Nights. A Cold Weather Advisory is in effect for much of the region. On Saturday, sunshine will start to fade as high Clouds Race Across the Sky, but it will remain Stone Cold, with high temperatures only getting into the teens at best, with wind chills still near or below zero before winds die down in the afternoon. Clouds will continue to stream in Saturday night, but it will remain chilly. This brings us to Sunday.

Wind chills of -10 to -20 are expected Saturday morning. Image provided by WeatherBell.

Low pressure moving into the Southwest will run into the arctic airmass covering much of the eastern two-thirds of the nation over the next few days. Moderate to heavy snow is expected from the Southern Plains across to the Tennessee Valley and parts of the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states. To the south of these areas, a significant sleet and freezing rain storm is likely from parts of Texas into the Deep South. Places like Dallas, Little Rock and perhaps Nashville and Atlanta could be Trapped Under Ice by the end of the weekend. By Sunday, that system will move off the Carolina coast and head northeastward, developing as it passes south and east of Cape Cod early Monday. Sunday will start off cloudy and cold, with snow likely moving in by mid-to-late afternoon from southwest to northeast. With some very cold air in place, it will be more of a fluffy snow, easier to clean up, but it also piles up a lot more quickly. Snow will continue through the night, possibly heavy at times, slowly winding down during the day on Monday. The questions now are:

  1. How much does the very dry air in place slow down the start of the snow on Sunday?
  2. How heavy does the snow fall at times Sunday night into Monday?
  3. When will the snow actually end?
  4. How close will the system actually track to the coast?
  5. Will temperatures get up close to freezing across parts of southeastern Massachusetts behind a coastal front?
  6. Could there be some sleet and/or rain near the South Coast and Cape Cod?

With this many questions that we don’t have answers to at this point, it would be irresponsible to try and forecast snowfall totals, so we won’t do that. We will say that it is likely that much of the region gets 6 inches or more, but beyond that, we won’t commit to anything else.

After some snow showers/squalls tonight and Friday, you see the snow spreading in on Sunday. Loop provided by Weathermodels.com

Thursday night: Partly to mostly cloudy, chance for a few snow showers, skies start to clear out late at night. Low 16-23.

Friday: A mix of sun and clouds, chance for some snow showers or squalls, breezy. High 27-34.

Friday night: Becoming clear, breezy, and bitterly cold. Low -3 to +4, a little milder across Cape Cod.

Saturday: Sunny and breezy in the morning, high clouds stream in during the afternoon. High 10-17.

Saturday night: Becoming mostly cloudy. Low -1 to +6.

Sunday: Cloudy with snow developing by mid-to-late afternoon. High 13-20 north and west of I-95, 21-28 south and east.

Sunday night: Snow likely, possibly mixed with a little sleet or rain near the South Coast and Cape Cod, becoming breezy. Low 8-15 north and west of I-95, 16-23 south and east.

Monday: Snow gradually ending, breezy. High 16-23 north and west of I-95, 24-31 south and east.

Weekly Outlook: January 19-25, 2026

wxmanscottkLeave a comment

If you’re looking for a week for a tropical vacation, this may be the one, because we’re in for some very chilly air at times this week.

Wind chills will be in the single numbers and below zero when you head out the door Wednesday morning. Image provided by WeatherBell.

Snow will end this morning as low pressure pulls away from the region, with some clearing possible during the afternoon. However, an arctic cold front will move through this evening, possibly accompanied by a few snow showers or squalls. They shouldn’t be that widespread, but could cause a few issues if you have to get caught under one. Luckily they’ll be moving through during the night, when very few people will be on the roads. High pressure builds in on Tuesday, with a very cold day despite sunshine. Temperatures will only get unto the upper teens and 20s, with wind chills in the single numbers or below zero. As the high moves off to the east, temperatures will start to moderate, but we’ll also see some clouds start to move in during the day ahead of the next storm system. This storm will bring in some snow showers late Wednesday night and early Thursday, but it shouldn’t be that big of a deal. High pressure then builds in with some bitterly cold air for the end of the week and the weekend.

High temperatures will only be in the teens on Saturday, Image provided by Weathermodels.com

By the end of the weekend we’re going to be keeping an eye on a storm system passing south of the region. We’ll have plenty of cold air with a large area of high pressure in place, the question is, how far north does the precipitation get. Some models keep it well to the south, with the high to the north keeping us very cold but dry, others have the precipitation move in with some snow possible. At this point, it’s still nearly a week away, so it’s impossible to tell which, if either, solution will be right. For now, we’ll just keep an eye on it as the week goes on, but we’re leaning towards the bitterly cold and dry solution.

Most of the models keep us dry and bitterly cold next Sunday, but not all of them. Images provided by Pivotal Weather.

Monday: Snow showers ending in the morning, some afternoon sunny breaks develop, becoming breezy. High 29-36.

Monday night: Partly cloudy with a chance for a few snow showers before midnight, clearing after midnight, breezy. Low 12-19.

Tuesday: Partly to mostly sunny, breezy. High 19-26.

Tuesday night: Clear skies. Low 4-11.

Wednesday: Morning sun, then increasing afternoon clouds. High 25-32.

Wednesday night: Mostly cloudy, chance for snow showers after midnight. Low 21-28, temperatures may rise a little overnight.

Thursday: Partly to mostly cloudy, breezy, some snow showers possible in the morning. High 35-42.

Thursday night: Becoming clear. Low 14-21.

Friday: Partly sunny, breezy, colder. High 23-30.

Saturday: A mix of sun and clouds, breezy. High 14-21.

Sunday: Partly sunny. High 11-18.

Snowy Sunday on Tap

wxmanscottkLeave a comment

After days of endless social media hype about a snowstorm this weekend, we’ve finally there and while it’s not a blockbuster blizzard, we do have some light to perhaps moderate snow on the way.

Winter Weather Advisories are in effect for portions of the Northeast. Image provided by Pivotal Weather.

A cold front is moving toward the East Coast this morning, with a wave of low pressure developing along it. At the same time, an upper-level disturbance is heading toward the Northeast. That disturbance will bring in some snow showers this morning, possibly mixed with some rain across parts of southeastern Massachusetts. While these snow showers may whiten the ground, we’re not expecting much accumulation with them. Meanwhile, low pressure developing off the Southeast coast will ride up the front, passing south and east of New England later today and tonight. The precipitation shield with that system will move in from the south later this afternoon, with snow for much of the region, except rain across parts of Cape Cod and perhaps southeastern Massachusetts. Even there, a change to snow is expected by evening as colder air moves in on the backside of the storm. Some steady snow is likely across much of the region from late afternoon through the evening, tapering off to snow showers after midnight. The snow showers may not end across parts of eastern Massachusetts until around daybreak on Monday as the storm pulls away.

Snow will spread across the region this afternoon and evening. Loop provided by WeatherBell.

In general, we’re looking at 3-5 inches. of snow for much of eastern Massachusetts, with a few heavier amounts possible. As you head farther north into the Merrimack Valley and Southern New Hampshire, as well as across parts of Cape Cod, totals will be a little lighter, generally 1-3 inches.

A general light to moderate snow is expected this afternoon and tonight. Image provided by Weathermodels.com

The weather could have an impact on the Patriots/Texans playoff game at Gillette Stadium this afternoon. Some occasional light snow is expected, with temperatures in the lower to middle 30s and light winds.

Weekend Outlook: January 16-19, 2026

wxmanscottkLeave a comment

Hope you enjoyed our recent mild weather, because winter is about to return.

Wind chills will be in the teens and lower 20s when you walk out the door Friday morning. Image provided by WeatherBell.

A cold front crossed the region earlier today, and cooler air has already started to move in. Another weak disturbance moves through tonight, possibly producing a few snow showers or squalls, followed by even colder air. High pressure builds in tomorrow, setting up a chilly day. With a large upper-level low pressure area settling into the Northeast we’ll see clouds pop up after some morning sunshine. Clouds thicken back up at night as another weak system heads out of the Great Lakes and towards New England. This one will bring in some precipitation on Saturday. South and east of I-95 it should be mostly rain, but north and west of there a period of light snow or snow showers is expected. We’re only looking at an inch, maybe 2 in spots, so it’s not that big of a deal, but if you’re going to be out and about during the day Saturday you’ll want to keep this in mind. This brings us to Sunday.

Some light snow is expected north and west of Boston on Saturday. Image provided by Weathermodels.com

You may have seen or heard the hype on Wednesday about the “blockbuster” storm head our way for Sunday. Well, that is not likely to be the case. One run of one model (that hasn’t done so well lately) showed that yesterday afternoon, and all the Facebook Forecasters (and some of the local TV meteorologists) jumped all over it. We don’t do “wishcasting” here, we focus on actual forecasting. Yes, there will be a storm moving up the coast, but it is not likely to be a major snowstorm for the region. In fact, there are some models that keep it completely offshore with no impacts at all. We think it’ll be close enough to spread some light snow into parts of southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, possibly as far north as the Boston area, but even that is not a lock by any means. In fact, the precipitation could end up as rain across parts of Cape Cod if the storm passes close enough. As for the timing, that’s also a question mark. Some models have the precipitation move in by early afternoon, some hold off until evening. With the Patriots kicking off at 3:00, a lot of people will be paying attention to the forecast. We wouldn’t be surprised at all if there is snow during the game, especially during the second half. We’ll likely do another blog post about this system on Saturday, once things are a little more locked in. At that point, we’ll go deeper into an accumulation forecast, but for now, we don’t anticipate anywhere picking up more than 6 inches. The system pulls away Sunday night, but another upper-level disturbance moves through on Monday with some clouds and possibly a few flurries.

The models all have different ideas about the potential storm on Sunday. Images provided by Pivotal Weather.

Thursday night: A few snow showers or squalls possible, otherwise partly cloudy, breezy. Low 15-22.

Friday: Morning sun, increasing afternoon clouds, windy. High 27-34.

Friday night: Becoming mostly cloudy, snow showers possible towards daybreak. Low 21-28, temperatures may rise a little overnight.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy, light snow and snow showers developing north and west of I-95, rain, possibly mixed with a little snow, south and east. High 35-42.

Saturday night: Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 25-32.

Sunday: Cloudy with some snow developing in the afternoon, mainly south and east of I-95, possibly mixed with rain across Cape Cod. High 32-39.

Sunday night: Any snow ending, becoming partly cloudy after midnight. Low 18-25.

Monday: A mix of sun and clouds, chance for a few flurries, breezy. High 28-35.

Weekend Outlook: December 25 -29, 2025

wxmanscottkLeave a comment

We’re in an active weather pattern, but that doesn’t mean it’s a snowy one.

Wind chills will be near or below zero Friday morning. Image provided by WeatherBell.

The storm that brought us the snow on Tuesday will continue to pull away tonight, taking any lingering snow showers along the coast with it, then skies should clear out for a while this evening, before clouds quickly return. A weak disturbance may produce a few snow showers Christmas morning, then we’ll start to clear out in the afternoon as a cold front drops southward across the region. Breezy and colder weather settles in for Christmas night into Friday morning, then clouds come right back in. Low pressure moving out of the Great Lakes will head southeastward, passing south of the region Friday night and Saturday. The question is – how far north does the precipitation shield from the system extend? Some models bring the snow all the way up to the MA/NH border, some only bring it to the South Coast. We think it’ll be somewhere in between, so we’re expecting some light snow Friday night into Saturday morning mainly south of the Mass Pike. The farther south and west you go, the better the chance for some accumulations. Drier weather returns later Saturday with some clearing, but clouds quickly return again on Sunday as another system heads our way. This one will likely pass north and west of the region, with rain Sunday evening into Monday morning. However, there may be enough cold air in place late Sunday so that the precipitation starts as some sleet or freezing rain north and west of Boston, before changing to plain rain at night. A cold front trailing the system moves through Monday morning, with clearing, breezy, and colder weather returning in the afternoon.

Will it snow Friday night or not? The models don’t agree. Images provided by Pivotal Weather.

Christmas Eve: Becoming clear this evening, clouds return after midnight. Low 19-26, temperatures may rise after midnight.

Christmas Day: Morning clouds, chance for a few flurries or sprinkles, becoming partly sunny and breezy in the afternoon. High 36-43.

Thursday night: Clear skies, except partly to mostly cloudy across much of Cape Cod, breezy. Low 6-13.

Friday: Morning sun, then increasing clouds. High 20-27.

Friday night: Plenty of clouds, chance for some light snow, mainly south of the Mass Pike. Low 11-18.

Saturday: Morning clouds and possibly some light snow, then becoming partly sunny. High 24-31.

Saturday night: Partly cloudy. Low 12-19.

Sunday: Some morning sun, then clouds return. High 34-41.

Sunday night: Cloudy with rain developing, possibly starting as freezing rain or sleet north and west of Boston. Low 25-32 in the evening, temperatures rise overnight.

Monday: Rain ending, some late-day clearing, breezy. High 37-44.

Weekly Outlook: December 22-28, 2025

wxmanscottkLeave a comment

If you’re dreaming of a White Christmas, you may just get your wish.

The week starts off with high pressure bringing us a breezy and dry and chilly day today, but that won’t last long. Clouds quickly return later today as a fast-moving storm system moves out of the Great Lakes. We’ll see some light snow developing Tuesday morning, continuing through much of the day, ending in the evening. Temperatures may be just mild enough for a mix or change to rain near the South Coast and across the Cape and Islands. While the system may not have much impact on the morning commute, it will impact the evening commute, so keep this in mind. Because it’s a fast-moving storm, and doesn’t have a lot of moisture with it, we’re only expecting 1-3 inches for most spots, a little less where rain mixes in.

Tuesday’s snow will not be that big of a deal, but it could impact the afternoon commute. Image provided by WeatherBell.

High pressure builds in for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with generally dry and seasonably cold conditions, though we could still see a few snow showers on Christmas Eve, mainly near the coast thanks to an offshore low pressure system. The end of the week and the weekend presents more problems. A frontal boundary will be nearby, separating some rather chilly air to our north from unseasonably warm air to the south. We’re also going to have a low pressure system moving along that boundary toward the region. Where that boundary eventually settles has a HUGE impact on our forecast. Is it mild with rain? Is it colder with a wintry mix or even some moderate to heavy snow? As you might expect, the models are all over the place, and any of these scenarios could be plausible. For now, we’re going to go with the middle ground, but this is a low confidence forecast at this point. Oh, and another system could follow on Sunday with some similar issues. We’ll obviously go into a lot more detail on both the Friday and Sunday potential storms when we publish our Weekend Outlook, which will be on Wednesday this week.

The models all have different ideas for the system on Friday. Images provided by Pivotal Weather.

Monday: Mostly sunny, clouds start to filter in during the afternoon, thickening up late in the day, breezy in the morning. High 28-35.

Monday night: Becoming cloudy. Low 20-27.

Tuesday: Cloudy with light snow developing in the morning, except rain near the South Coast and Cape Cod, tapering off towards evening. High 32-39.

Tuesday night: Any lingering snow or rain showers ending, some clearing possible late at night. Total snow accumulation 1-3 inches for most spots, less than 1″ near the South Coast and Cape Cod. Low 24-31.

Christmas Eve: Intervals of clouds and sun with a few snow showers possible along the coast, partly sunny inland, breezy. High 33-40.

Wednesday night: Clear to partly cloudy during the evening, clouds return overnight. Low 18-25.

Christmas Day: Partly to mostly cloudy. High 36-43.

Thursday night: Mostly cloudy. Low 20-27.

Friday: Cloudy with some snow or rain likely. High 31-38.

Saturday: A few snow showers early, becoming partly sunny. High 29-36.

Sunday: Mostly cloudy, breezy, chance for snow or rain. High 36-43.

Snow Kidding, a White Sunday is on the Way

wxmanscottkLeave a comment

If you live in the Merrimack Valley, and points north and west, you already saw your first snowstorm of the season a little more than a week ago. The rest of us get that experience Sunday morning.

Areas well north and west of Boston got their first snowstorm about 10 days ago. Image provided by Weathermodels.com

A complex low pressure system is going to impact much of Southern New England for a good chunk of Sunday, including the Patriots/Bills game in Foxborough. An upper level disturbance is moving across Ontario this evening while a surface low pressure system takes shape over the Mid-Atlantic states. If conditions were a little more favorable, this could become a blockbuster snowstorm, but that won’t be the case here. We’re already seeing a little rain developing across parts of the Mid-Atlantic, including the New York City area, but as the system moves off the Virginia coastline overnight and strengthens colder air will move in, changing the precipitation over to snow. We should see snow spreading across our area a little after midnight, though it will probably be mixed with rain across parts of Cape Cod and the Islands to start. Snow showers and some periods of steady light snow are expected for the rest of the overnight and into Sunday morning. The bulk of the snow will be found south of the Mass Pike, with just some snow showers to the north, though the latest models are showing a little bit more snow to the north of Boston as well, as the system is coming in a little farther north. As the system starts to pull away by midday Sunday we’ll see the snow taper off, and gusty northwest to north winds will develop, ushering colder air in. Some ocean-effect snow may continue across parts of Cape Cod into the late afternoon or evening, but it should wind down at that point.

Snow moves in overnight, and ends Sunday afternoon/evening. Loop provided by WeatherBell.

This storm will not be that big of a deal for most of us, and shouldn’t have too much of an impact on the region, though if you’re heading to and from Foxborough there will be a bit more of an impact. If you’re arriving early to tailgate, expect to do it in the snow. As for the game, the snow should be winding down towards halftime, but for the 2nd half it’ll be windy and turning colder, so plan ahead for that it you’ll be sitting in the stands.

It might looks like this in Foxborough again Sunday morning. Image provided by the New England Patriots.

As for amounts, here’s what we’re thinking:

Central NH: Less than 1″
Southern NH/NH Seacoast/North Shore/Merrimack Valley: Around 1″
MetroWest/Metro Boston/Central MA: 1-2″
Northern RI/Northern portions of Plymouth/Bristol County (North of Route 44): 1-3″
Outer Cape Cod/Nantucket: 2-4″
Southern RI/Southern portions of Plymouth/Bristol County (South of Route 44)/Upper Cape Cod/Martha’s Vineyard: 3-5″

Snowfall amounts will be generally light to borderline moderate. Image provided by Weathermodels.com

You’ll have plenty of time to clean off the driveway after the snow is done, and you’ll want to do that at that point. With temperatures plunging into the teens for much of the region Sunday night, if you wait until Monday morning to clean off the driveway (or your car), it will be a lot more difficult.