An Active Period Of Wintry Weather Expected From Late This Week Into Early Next Week

For This Afternoon: Clouds are expected to thicken and lower as a frontal boundary approaches the area from the west. High temperatures this afternoon will be between 34 and 38 Degrees. Tonight: That frontal system will push across our area late tonight. Light rain is expected to overspread most of Western and Central Mass by midnight tonight and continue through the rest of tonight. The exception to this will be across the Berkshires where enough cold air will hang around to produce some light freezing rain after midnight tonight. Another area to watch for light freezing rain after midnight tonight will be across the northern Worcester Hills as colder air may get trapped. This means that icy conditions on roads are likely late tonight across the Berkshires and across the northern Worcester Hills with wet road conditions expected across the remainder of Western and Central Mass. Temperatures tonight will be between 30 and 35 Degrees. Thursday: That frontal system will push offshore during the day on Thursday. Any early morning light rain or light freezing rain will end by 9 am with gradual clearing expected by afternoon. High temperatures Thursday will be between 40 and 45 Degrees. New Year’s Day: A large high pressure system will move across our area during New Year’s Day, however, an area of low pressure will be approaching the area from the Ohio Valley. This means that sunny skies are expected on Friday morning with an increase in clouds expected during Friday afternoon. High temperatures on New Year’s Day will be between 35 and 40 Degrees. Friday Night Through Saturday: An area of low pressure is expected to move from the Ohio Valley into northern New England. A wide variety of wintry precipitation is expected to overspread Western and Central Mass between 8 pm and 11 pm Friday evening and then continue through the rest of the night on Friday night. Precipitation is then expected to gradually change to rain during Saturday morning. For Areas Along & North Of Route 2: A mixture of snow and sleet is expected to begin near midnight Friday night and continue throughout the rest of the night Friday night. Sleet and snow may continue for a while Saturday morning before it changes to rain later Saturday morning. Rain continues into Saturday afternoon before ending later Saturday afternoon. Snow and sleet accumulations of 1 to 2 inches are possible across areas along and north of Route 2. For Areas Along & North Of The Mass Pike, Including Worcester: A mixture of sleet and freezing rain is expected to begin between 8 pm and 11 pm Friday evening. A mixture of sleet and freezing rain is then expected to continue throughout the rest of the night Friday night. A changeover to rain is then expected between 6 am and 9 am Saturday morning with rain continuing throughout the rest of the day Saturday. Rain then comes to an end later Saturday afternoon. A light glaze of ice is expected on Friday night leading to hazardous travel conditions across the area. At this point, it does not look like this will be enough ice to cause damage or major problems. For Areas South Of The Mass Pike, Including Springfield: Freezing rain and sleet is expected to begin between 8 pm and 11 pm Friday evening. The freezing rain and sleet is then expected to continue for several hours after midnight Friday night with the icy precipitation changing to rain around dawn Saturday morning. Rain is expected throughout the day on Saturday with the rain coming to an end by late Saturday afternoon. A very light glaze of ice is expected on Friday night leading to hazardous travel conditions across the area. Improving travel conditions due to above freezing temperatures are expected on Saturday. Snow Is Possible From Late Sunday Afternoon To Monday Morning: There is the potential that a coastal storm could track close enough to our area to bring Western and Central Mass accumulating snow beginning later Sunday afternoon and continuing through Sunday night and Monday morning. With that said, there is a large range of possibilities with the forecast track of this low pressure system. Some weather forecast guidance brings the storm near the Cape which would mean enough snow to plow across the entire area. Other guidance show a much further offshore track which would lead to a very light snowfall across the area. At this point, I have enough confidence to say that it’ll probably snow from late Sunday afternoon to Monday morning and that at least a couple to a few inches of snow seems possible. Fortunately, there is plenty of time to keep an eye on this storm and I’ll have frequent updates in the coming days.