The storm system being credited with whiteout conditions and thousands of flight cancellations across the nation may not bring snow to most of the state, but it will make up for it with heavy rain and wind on Friday.
The center of the storm is destined for southern Canada, bringing a milder side to much of southern and central New England on Friday that’ll still usher in wind gusts and rainfall that are prompting cancellations and advisories from local officials.
By 5 a.m. Friday, wind gusts over 60 mph are likely to hit the Cape, while others potentially reach 65 in Portsmouth, NH, before a bit of a lull around noontime.
With the arctic front’s approach later in the day, more widespread wind will pick up around 3 p.m., lasting through the evening. Scattered power outages are anticipated along the coast as rain takes its toll, as well.
By 1 a.m. on Friday, heavier rain will start to arrive throughout the state, including pockets of downpours throughout Mass. Snowflakes are possible for some parts of New England, but warm air will ensure mostly rainfall.
By 7 p.m., most of the rain is expected to clear after dumping what may be up to 2.2 inches of rain for parts of Worcester County (possibly 2.5 inches in Fitchburg) and parts of the 495 corridor. The Boston area and both North and South shores may see 1.6-1.7 inches, while totals bottom out around .5 inches along the Cape.
A Coastal Flood Warning will also be in effect for most of Friday morning into the afternoon, with 9 a.m. until noon being times to watch out for, with up to 1-3 feet of inundation possible on shore roads and low-lying areas.
Then comes the cold – for most of the day Friday, temperatures will hover around the 50s before dropping dramatically later in the evening. While a flash freeze is not anticipated, temps are expected to hit the 20s by late Friday night and into the teens by Saturday morning.
For more information on the latest forecast, including up-to-date wind gust and rainfall estimates, check out the 7WEATHER Weather Blog.
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