Sketchy Start- Quiet Overall
The Blizzard of 2013 is history now but the power is still out and the digging out goes on for many. Although the highways and most of the secondary roads are in great shape, many town roads are narrow and choked with snow. Despite the hardship and damage it has caused for many especially over southeastern MA, the blizzard was fulfilling and exciting for many. The snow plow guys, owners of winter sports businesses and all those that enjoy alpine and nordic skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling are rejoicing. I am sure that many agree with me that today was such a sparkling sensational one with a deep blue sky, a glistening snowpack and brilliant sunshine. I have my snow shoes and cross-country skis ready for action.
With the departure of the blizzard late yesterday, the wind diminished and premium radiational cooling resulted in temperatures diving to the single numbers to a bit below zero early this morning. That was followed by a dramatic rise of 35-45 degrees to highs around 40 this afternoon. Sweet! Now, the temperatures are back tracking again but will only slip into the middle teens to middle 20s before a light southerly breeze raises them again toward daybreak as clouds increase by then. Watch out for the freezing of today's melted snow. There will definitely be icy areas. With the approach of a warm frontal boundary tomorrow, a swath of mixed precipitation will run out ahead into the cold air and perhaps produce some tricky traveling. Consequently, the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for areas mainly from Worcester County north and west tomorrow morning. As warmer air arrives, a switch to plain rain is certain. I am expecting a quarter to perhaps up to a half-inch of rain. This relatively small amount should not cause a widespread problem for most roofs. It bears watching as does the water which will be pooling in some streets because catch basins are clogged with snow. Be cautious in your travels tomorrow. It should warm up to the lower to middle 40s as the day progresses as the warm frontal boundary nears and passes through.
Looking ahead, the cold frontal boundary will transit through tomorrow evening with drier air here before dawn on Tuesday. Expect a gusty wind of 15-35 mph with varying amounts of clouds and sunshine on that day with flurries over the northern and western mountains. The rest of the week will be a bit milder than average for February 11-15. Daytime highs of 40-45 will occur through the period. The wind will be light Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. A storm in the southern branch of the jet stream will be passing south of New England late Wednesday into early Thursday. We may only see some high cloudiness on the northern fringe of that system. The next storm threat occurs on Saturday when rain is more favorable up into the Boston area with snow farther north and west. It is too early to be confident about the specifics of this potential storm but I am quite sure that it will NOT be another blizzard.
Melissa Mack delivers her WBZ AccuWeather Forecast in the morning and Todd Gutner is on the WBZ News after the Grammy Awards tonight.
Make it a great Monday!
