Early Monday Afternoon Weather Update For Western & Central Mass

The moderate to heavy rain that's occurring across the region right now will end over the next hour or two.

Once the rain ends, we will be awaiting a strong cold front, which will likely push through the area by early this evening. This front will bring with it a few snow showers & more importantly a rapid drop in temperatures during early this evening. Temperatures look to fall to below freezing by early this evening & then fall quickly through the 20s and into the teens during the overnight hours.

My recommendation to you is that if there is any slush or standing water in your driveway, try to remove it before early this evening because it's going to freeze up solid. Also, untreated surfaces will likely become slippery by early this evening as temperatures fall below freezing. If you are out and about after about 7-8 pm this evening, use caution because black ice will be a hazard across the entire area.

It is also going to be quite windy during tonight and especially on Tuesday. West winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 45 mph can be expected throughout tonight. During Tuesday, I expect West winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 50-plus mph. Some downed tree limbs and power lines are possible leading to some isolated power outages.

Freezing Rain With Icy Conditions Are Expected Tonight Across Western & Central Mass (Issued: 3:10 pm Sunday Afternoon 12/28/2025)

An area of low pressure is expected to track across the Great Lakes region tonight and then push across southern Canada during Monday. Milder air aloft will move over a sub-freezing surface leading to several hours of freezing rain across the entire area during tonight. Temperatures are then expected to rise to above freezing by Monday leading to any freezing rain to change to rain.

Freezing rain is expected to begin across Western Mass by about 8 pm this evening and then begin across Central Mass by about 9 pm or so this evening. Once the freezing rain begins, it is expected to last throughout the rest of tonight. This freezing rain is likely to produce some very icy conditions across the entire area, especially on untreated surfaces. My recommendation to you is to avoid travel during tonight, if you can as things will very likely be very slippery. If you have to travel tonight, I urge you to use extreme caution.

I do think that the cold air near the ground will be very stubborn and tough to scour out. The reason for this is that we have a fresh snow cover on the ground and when this occurs this time of year, the freezing rain usually hangs on much longer than usual. Because of this, I don’t think that we’ll flip to just rain until sometime on Monday morning.

In terms of ice amounts tonight, I do think that we’ll see somewhere between one tenth of an inch (0.10”) and one quarter of an inch (0.25”) of ice tonight. While this is not enough ice to bring down trees or power lines, it is more than enough to produce some very icy conditions & some very slippery roads.

The freezing rain will change to rain during Monday morning from south to north across the region. Areas near and south of the Mass Pike look to change from freezing rain to rain as early as just before sunrise Monday morning while areas in the northern Worcester Hills and parts of the upper Pioneer Valley may not change from freezing rain to rain until mid or late morning on Monday. Periods of rain is then expected during Monday afternoon across the entire area as temperatures will be in the 40s.

Once that storm moves towards Atlantic Canada on Monday night and Tuesday, it’ll pull down some cold air on some gusty west and northwest winds. Because of this, any standing water or slush will quickly become a solid glacier by Monday evening as temperatures fall quickly into the 20s. This means that any slush that is not removed from parking lots or driveways will be a solid frozen mess by Monday evening. Additionally, any untreated surfaces will likely become quite slick during Monday evening and because of this, black ice will be a threat throughout Monday night.

Low temperatures on Monday night will be near 15 Degrees. High temperatures Tuesday will be between 25 and 30 Degrees. Winds on Monday night will be West at 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 45 mph. Winds on Tuesday will be West at 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 45 mph.

Freezing Rain Sunday Night Will Lead To Icy Conditions Across Western & Central Mass

For Tonight: Clear skies can be expected throughout tonight with low temperatures between 10 and 15 Degrees. Winds will be West at 6 to 12 mph.

Sunday: A sunny start to the day can be expected on Sunday, however, clouds will be on the increase during the afternoon hours as a low pressure system approaches us from the Great Lakes.

High temperatures will be between 35 and 40 Degrees. Winds will be West at 6 to 12 mph.

Freezing Rain Is Expected On Sunday Night Which Will Change To All Rain During The Day On Monday: An area of low pressure is expected to track across the Great Lakes region during the day on Sunday before it moves across southern Canada on Sunday night and Monday. This storm system has the potential of producing freezing rain with icy conditions during Sunday night, especially if cold air can hang on across the region. Any freezing rain will change to rain during the day on Monday as temperatures rise to above freezing.

Freezing rain is expected to overspread the entire area between about 8 pm and 10 pm Sunday evening. This freezing rain is expected to continue for quite a few hours during the overnight hours of Sunday night. This freezing rain is likely to produce some icy conditions across the entire area, especially on untreated surfaces. My recommendation to you is to avoid travel on Sunday night, if you can as things will very likely be very slippery. If you have to travel on Sunday night, use extreme caution.

One thing that I wanted to mention about Sunday night’s freezing rain event – My past experience is that when you have a fresh snow cover on the ground this time of year (like we do now) in the middle of the night, the freezing rain is very likely to hang on much longer than usual. Because of this, I don’t think that we’ll flip to just rain until sometime on Monday morning. Because of this, I do think that ice amounts of one tenth of an inch (0.10”) to one quarter of an inch (0.25”) seems most probable. Not enough to bring down trees or power lines, but it is certainly enough to produce some very icy conditions.

The freezing rain will change to rain during Monday morning from south to north across the region. The last areas that will change from freezing rain to rain may be across the northern Worcester Hills and parts of the Connecticut River Valley where the freezing rain may wait to change to rain until late Monday morning. Periods of rain is then expected during Monday afternoon across the entire area as temperatures rise into the mid and upper 40s.

Once that storm moves towards Atlantic Canada on Monday night and Tuesday, it’ll pull down some cold air on some gusty west and northwest winds. Windy and cold weather is expected for both Monday night and Tuesday. Low temperatures Monday night will be around 20 Degrees. High temperatures Tuesday will be between 25 and 30 Degrees. West to Northwest winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 40-45 mph can be expected throughout Monday night and Tuesday.