Forecast discussion: A weak cold front has been hanging over Rhode Island throughout Saturday. It has given us some scattered snow showers during the morning and afternoon. As we move into tonight and Sunday morning, a low pressure system offshore of North Carolina will move up the east coast, and help bring some moderate to heavy snow to us.
Due to the strengthening of this storm and the potential snowfall, along with strong winds, the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the entire state from 7 p.m. this evening until 7 p.m. Sunday evening. We will see the heaviest snowfall during the late overnight hours into Sunday afternoon. There may be times when snowfall is coming down at an inch per hour.
However, this system will not be like the previous low from last weekend. This low will continue to move off towards the northeast, and snow will taper off during the late afternoon. However, as you are trying to shovel out your driveway, we will feel strong northwest winds. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. There may be some isolated power outages as well. I’m expecting a total snowfall of 4-7 inches across the state, with the heavier amounts along the south shore.
We will remain windy Sunday night into Monday, despite high pressure building over the area. Temperatures will try to make it to freezing, before falling into the lower 20’s Monday evening. The next storm system to watch will move into Southern New England on Tuesday. A warm front will remain to our south, but the leftover cold air will help make the precipitation start as some rain and freezing rain. But, temperatures will warm into the lower 40’s, and precipitation will change to rain showers by the afternoon. The precipitation will change back to some snow showers Tuesday evening, before ending just after midnight Wednesday morning.
High pressure will build over the east coast to give us partly to mostly sunny skies for Thursday and Friday. However, temperatures will remain below normal to normal, with a little melting of any snow. A new storm system would bring some snow showers by Saturday morning, and continuing into Saturday afternoon.
72 hour forecast:
Tonight: Light to moderate snow and increasing winds with a low of 22. We could see snowfall reach an inch per hour in some locations.
Sunday: Moderate snow into the early afternoon, before snow tapers off by the late afternoon. I’m forecasting 4-7 inches throughout the state, with the heaviest accumulations along the coastline. We will see a high of 27 with northwest winds of 22-27 mph gusting to 45 mph.
Sunday night: Clear skies and very cold with a low of 13. Winds will come from the northwest at 15-20 mph with gusts of 35 mph.
Monday: Mostly sunny and breezy with a high of 32.
Monday night: Mostly cloudy with diminishing winds and a low of 22.
Tuesday: Cloudy with a wintry mix of rain and ice in the morning before changing to rain in the afternoon with a high of 43.
Tuesday night: Snow showers by the end of the evening commute with a low of 31.
Extended Forecast:
Wednesday: Snow showers tapers off by the early morning, with mostly sunny skies by the afternoon. Highs 38-41, lows 17-20.
Thursday: Sunny. Highs 31-34, lows 17-20.
Friday: Partly to mostly sunny. Highs 35-38, lows 21-24.
Saturday: Snow showers starting around midnight. Highs 36-39, lows 23-26.
Comments