Friday will be a quiet day as the winds finally begin to ease up and we enjoy a fair amount of sunshine with a ridge of high pressure settling over the area. After a cold start expect temperatures to rebound into the mid and upper 30s. During the afternoon the first signs of the weekend storm begin to show as high clouds start to filter into the area. Skies cloud up overnight as temperatures drop into the 20s.
For the third consecutive weekend we are talking about a winter storm. Not just another storm but the potential for another significant coastal storm that brings many impacts to the region. As usual there will be several potential weather impacts such as heavy snow, gusty winds, coastal flooding and the possibility of power outages. Even rain will factor into this storm for some locations. The coastal low will develop in the waters south of New England and move to a position just southeast of Cape Cod early Sunday.
Storm Details: As of this evening it appears precipitation overspreads the area around midday on Saturday as mostly light snow. Overnight, we may flip flop between rain and snow, with areas to the north and the hilly terrain staying mostly all snow. By Sunday morning everyone should go over to all snow and it snows hard for several hours through the morning before tapering off toward the afternoon. A heavy wet snow is expected locally, unlike what we had the previous storms when it was a fluffy texture. A combination of heavy wet snow and the likelihood of gusty winds may be enough to cause damage to trees and power lines, leading to the possibility of scattered power outages. For those that have coastal concerns be aware that the Sunday morning high tide has the potential for minor coastal flooding as well, especially along east facing locations in Massachusetts.
A preliminary look at snowfall accumulations are 6 to 10 inches north of Springfield and in the hills with lower amounts of 4 to 6 inches in and around the immediate Springfield area and points south. There will likely be a sharp cutoff from heavy snow to much less snow south of the city. This may need to be tweaked during Friday and or Friday night.
Drier conditions return early next week but will probably be short lived as another storm system brings us a variety of precipitation Tuesday night or Wednesday.
Short Term Outlook:
Tonight: Mostly clear and cold. Low temperatures 14 to 20 degrees. Gusty winds will quickly diminish to less than 10 mph.
Friday: Mostly sunny and not as cold. Highs climb to 35 to 39 degrees. Light east winds.
Friday night: Becoming cloudy. Not as cold. Lows 23 to 27. Light northeast winds.
Weekend Outlook: Winter storm begins to impact the region around midday Saturday and continues into midday Sunday as outlined above.
Comments