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What Goes Up Must Come Down!

2013_Temps Local to USCANADAWhat goes up must come down and that is precisely what will be happening with the temperatures over the next 48 hours. We've been on quite a thrilling roller coaster ride with temperatures falling several degrees below zero Friday night then rising 25 up to 40 degrees yesterday. The ride leveled off a bit today but will rise more sharply late tonight and tomorrow past 50 degrees many areas before plunging again tomorrow night. Fasten your seat belts! A chunk of arctic chill surging through the Plains States toward the Midwest now will arrive here late tomorrow. It will be more severe out there in places like International Falls, MN which will go to -30 degrees tonight and stay in subzero air for the next 4 days! Chicago will chill to -13 late tonight and not rise above -8 tomorrow! This air mass will modify as it presses eastward across the Ohio Valley into the Eastern States. Although numbing, it will not quite match the magnitude of the Thursday night through Friday night chill here. Thanks to that arctic attack, Boston's mean temperature for the first 4 days of January is close to a whopping 15 degrees below average! After the upcoming stinging cold eases later in the week, it appears that there will be a break in these severe cold blasts striking the country. The long range outlook, however, suggests reloading frigid air masses will invade the nation again later this month!

2013_Model Satrad 72hrAs a warm frontal boundary approaches from the south-southwest, there will be migrating patches of mist and showers tonight. Initially, the ground is cold enough to support slick spots this evening so the National Weather Service has issued a Freezing Rain Advisory until midnight in MA areas farther north and west of Boston with an extension into the early morning hours farther north into NH. Meantime, temperatures holding steady in the lower to middle 30s early tonight will rise into the lower to middle 40s especially over eastern and southeastern MA by dawn. Watch for areas of fog which could become more widespread and thick. This may impact the morning commute along with the rain that could be periodically heavier resulting in puddling where runoff and drainage is poor due to the existing snow cover. With the passage of the warm front tomorrow morning, it could warm up to 50-55 over eastern and especially southeastern MA with 40s farther west by noon. There might be a few sheltered valley locations where the 30s are not scoured out. A strong cold front will be on the move and generating additional showers into the afternoon hours. There could be a few bolts of lightning and claps of thunder with that as well. The front will pass across the Boston area sometime between 1 and 3 pm. Following the passage, the temperatures will reverse course and start tumbling. Presently, it appears that a flash freeze is unlikely as a gusty westerly wind dries off most of the main roads. Country roads and town streets plus parking lots, driveways, steps, etc. may become icy in places so beware tomorrow evening as the temperatures fall to freezing. By daybreak Tuesday, lower to middle teens are probable with not much of a rise during the day. With the gusty wind of 20-40 mph, it will feel like 0 to 12 below zero at times. The sky will feature some sunshine with a changeable amount of clouds and perhaps some isolated flurries mainly over the hills and mountains.

2013_PATRIOTS_GAMEDAYLooking ahead, Wednesday will be sunnier with less harsh conditions but the wind will still be biting at times as temperatures rise to the middle 20s. A zone of weak high pressure now looks to provide sunny to partly cloudy weather on Thursday with light wind and a recovery to about 30 degrees. After that, a weak upper level system might ignite some flurries or a touch of light snow on Friday followed by a more important trough of low pressure destined to release some rain showers on Saturday. At this early stage, this system may speed along and exit in the afternoon leaving it cloudy to partly clear at Gillette Stadium next Saturday evening as the Patriots host the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Divisional Playoff  with kickoff at 8:15 pm. The current call is for a brisk westerly breeze and temperatures in the upper to middle 30s. Beyond that, it could be even "balmy" again next Sunday with 46-50 degrees possible.

Todd Gutner delivers his thoughts tomorrow morning and Eric Fisher follows later in the day.

Reality returns. After an extended long holiday break, it's back to work and school for most folks tomorrow. Make it a great week!

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