This One Is A Miss
It is interesting that many people are saying it has been such a long tough winter. I do not totally agree. In reality, the mean temperature for December was 3.7 degrees above the average and for January, it was 2.5 degrees above the average. Snowfall was well below the average. Then winter kicked in as February featured slightly below average temperatures and well above average snowfall. March has delivered well above average snowfall and temperatures about 1.6 degrees below the average. The 2013 combo of February and March has been snowiest ever on record in Worcester with a total of 75.3". For Boston, it is the 3rd snowiest February-March period on record with 54.7" So yes, no doubt about it, the second half of the winter turned tough for many but it certainly hasn't been a long winter. I just think that last winter spoiled you. For the snow haters, it wouldn't have been a good thing for you if all of the snowstorms had occurred in December and January! Anyway, many of us are loving the snow this winter after having little to none last winter. This past weekend saw big crowds in the mountains enjoying mid-winter conditions with packed powder and powder. On Saturday, my son and I enjoyed one of the best days ever skiing the slopes and glades of my favorite place Bretton Woods. It was snowing all day with blowing and drifting snow thanks to the wind gusts to 40 mph and the temperature was in the 20s. For me, that was heavenly. For those desiring spring, hang in there a bit longer and you will be rewarded.
On this final week of March, a blocked-up weather pattern will result in a relatively peaceful week in New England. A storm which produced a strip of snow amounting to several inches up to a foot across the Midwest this weekend is transiting over the Mid-Atlantic region today. The metro areas of Washington, Baltimore, Atlantic City and Philadelphia are in the flake zone with about 1-3". The primary storm exiting the Ohio Valley this morning will transfer its energy supply to a developing ocean storm just east of Delmarva. This secondary will be steered on an easterly track south of New England. Its northern fringe could sideswipe the South Coast this evening and the first part of the night with a bit of mixed rain and snow turning to all snow. It is possible that area could receive a coating to an inch while only a flurries strike parts of the South Shore mainly in the early morning hours tomorrow. Consequently, expect a mainly cloudy day with some filtered sunshine at times in places especially across northern areas. The northeasterly wind will freshen to 10-25 mph with some gusts of 25-35 mph on the South Coast later today and as high as 35-45 mph on Nantucket tonight. Temperatures will rise to near 40 at the coast to the middle 40s elsewhere. They will drop back to the upper 20s to middle 30s tonight.
Looking ahead, with a cyclonic flow in place, there will be varying amounts of clouds tomorrow through Thursday. There is a slight risk of a few spotty sprinkles by day or flurries by night in southern sections and snow showers any time of the day or night up north especially over the mountains. Daytime high temperatures will climb up to the upper 40s to lower 50s with overnight lows in the upper 20s to middle 30s. The wind will be brisk from the north-northwest all of those days with some gusts to 25 mph. By the end of the week, the blocking breaks down and we'll watch an upper level disturbance approach from the northwest. After a sunny start on Friday, it will become partly to mostly cloudy with an afternoon light shower possible. This may be repeated Saturday then Easter Sunday should be mainly sunny with highs in the lower to middle 50s. An approaching frontal boundary will release showery rains next Sunday night into Monday.
Todd Gutner will post a fresh update later this afternoon.
Make it a great day!
