A Snow Tease
After last night's dusting to an inch of snow, the flakes have been falling all day over much of northeastern MA but there have only been a few scattered locations that have received more than an inch. I have enjoyed watching the gently falling flakes without any need to go out and shovel. The snow has been melting on most of the paved surfaces during the day but there could be slippery areas developing in the darkness of this evening as the snow continues to fall and actually twists and rotates southward from northeastern MA and just offshore to southeastern MA and Cape Cod. Through the evening, there could be less than a quarter inch up to more than an inch of additional snow over eastern sections. The main action, however, is way offshore as an intensifying storm ramps up and tracks toward the Canadian Maritimes. Meantime, the weak upper level support and the ocean-effect bands of snow will taper off and exit after midnight with some partial clearing entering before dawn. As the storm blows up way offshore, the pressure gradient will tighten and the wind will be back tomorrow with gusts of 25-35 mph. A weak cold frontal boundary will arrive in the afternoon so sunshine will yield to occasional patches of passing clouds. Expect high temperatures of 29-33. It will be slightly colder on Tuesday but the wind will have subsided to around 10 mph or less as a small bubble of high pressure passes through. The next weak clipper will spill another dusting to 1 inch of snow over the region late Tuesday night to about dawn on Wednesday with clearing to follow.
Looking ahead, temperatures will be closer to the average the second half of the week with upper 30s more likely. High pressure is in control on Thursday and that will be followed by the potential for a more important storm on Friday. A clipper from the Great Lakes may capture some moisture and energy from the southern stream. If this indeed happens, a swath of heavier snow and rain would sweep across the region with the most snow over northern New England and a rain ending as a brief period of snow in southern sections. It is too premature to be confident of specifics right now. Whatever happens on Friday, next weekend is destined to be nice with no arctic air. High pressure will be building into the Northeast to provide sunshine and highs in the middle to upper 30s on Saturday and lower to middle 40s next Sunday.
Have a good night and enjoy the Super Bowl. I shall return early tomorrow morning subbing for Melissa Mack.
