For a while now, some of us (guilty) have been overusing Jon Snow’s quote from Game of Thrones: “Winter is Coming.” 
Well after today, I believe it’s safe to say that winter is HERE. If you stepped outside at all today, even if you didn’t see flakes, it FELT like winter. Colder temperatures have moved in and gusty winds are adding insult to injury. If you’re a snow-lover, then this is all great news; especially considering that what the New England ski resorts are able to pick up will likely stay for some Thanksgiving skiing opportunities! If winter makes you a little anxious, then today was a shock to the system; I hate to tell you, we’ve only just begun.
Snow showers/flurries will continue into the overnight hours. The mountain areas in Western Massachusetts could pick up another 4-6″ of snow before we’re done with this event. The Worcester Hills could pick up some minor accumulations into the overnight (1″), and for the rest of us, maybe a coating on the grass and car tops. This snow event has been mainly for the mountains – which again, is great news for skiers and snowboarders who are looking forward to “shreddin'” (does anyone say that here?) this season. The Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories are still posted for western Massachusetts through 7pm tomorrow. The difference between the two? A warning is generally issued for expected snow accumulation of 5-7″+, while an advisory is generally issued for 2-4″ of expected snow accumulation. We’ve been seeing pictures all night long of slick roads out west of Worcester. Please use caution not only tonight, but through the day tomorrow as well.
Getting out of bed on a Monday morning may be especially difficult tomorrow, even though this is a short week for most. Temperatures will range from 26-32°, and the wind will make it FEEL (wind chill) like it’s in the teens and low 20s. The kids heading to the bus stop need to be bundled up better than ever before! While our wind advisory is in effect currently, it stretches throughout the day tomorrow because that’s when we’re expecting the strongest wind. Gusts could get up between 40-50mph, which could bring down large tree branches and cause some power outages.
Highs tomorrow will struggle to make it up past 40° – but with the wind, it will feel like it’s in the 20s for the day. Remember, wind chill (“feels like”) is really all about how the wind feels on your bare/exposed skin. As long as you have some layers covering up your hands, ears, neck – it won’t be as brutal… Then again, considering we’re coming off of a string of really mild days, this will likely still be a shock to the system no matter how you dress.
Tuesday and Wednesday look like great travel days in New England. We’ll have dry roads, but still chilly temperatures. The unsettled weather doesn’t return until Thanksgiving, and it could start out as an early rain/snow mix or flurries for some spots before turning to showers for the afternoon/evening. It looks like we’ll stay unsettled into the weekend, and there’s a shot at some beneficial rainfall come Saturday. We’ll keep an eye on it. Good luck with your Monday, and remember: It’s a short week! – Breezy