From the mid 50s yesterday to tracking snow today, the weather around here can turn on a dime, and the last 24 hours was certainly proof of that. Snow tapers off early this evening, around 7:00PM on average. It’ll be a bit earlier for Boston, points north and west, a bit later for the Cape and Islands. From Boston to Worcester, about 1-2″ total add up, with 2-4″ through much of southeast Mass and a good 4-5″ through Buzzards Bay and the Cape. Temps this evening run in the lower 30s and fall into the 20s overnight. Watch out for some slippery spots.
As soon as we shake off this storm, all eyes turn to Wednesday’s forecast for a second storm, and a bigger one.
As an area of low pressure gathers steam in the southern Plains Tuesday and heads northeast, it grabs Gulf of Mexico moisture and throws it right into the colder air on the northern side of it’s track, creating travel woes from the Midwest to the mid-Atlantic to the Northeast thanks to snow and ice.
For us, it’s a Wednesday problem. That low reaches western PA Tuesday night, then a secondary low starts to take over just south of us early Wednesday morning. With the transfer of storm energy to our south, we stay on the colder side of the storm, ensuring widespread snow. The snow begins predawn Wednesday, and is heaviest during the morning commute, into lunch-time as snowfall rates reach 1″+ per hour. By midday, enough warm air just above the surface works in, allowing for some sleet and rain to mix in through southeast Mass. A widespread 6-10″ of snow is still likely with locally higher amounts (a foot) possible in northern Worcester County and along the MA/NH border. Far southeastern Mass, we’ll still have several inches of heavy, wet snow before any mixing occurs. The storm tapers off mid to late afternoon and clears out Wednesday night.
I don’t expect many coastal issues this go around thanks to a lack of prolonged onshore winds. In addition, peak winds gust near 30mph, and not the 50-60mph gusts we’ve see in previous storms. No fluff factor with this one either as snow to liquid ratios run close to 10:1. It’s good for snowballs and snowmen, no so good for shoveling.
Thursday – Saturday feature a break in the action before another potential coastal storms works it’s way up the east coast Sunday. The highest threat of snow and wind is Sunday PM into early Monday. That’s a week out though, plenty of time to track it.
We’ll keep you updated on air and online over the next couple days.
Chris Lambert
@clamberton7 – twitter