After last winter’s snow blitz, I find it tough to get overly excited about a couple inches of snow from a storm. Snowstorms are the reason I chose this profession—what about the Fortune & Glory?, Sorry Short Round, not me….I was drawn to the science of the snowstorm.
On the maps tonight is yet another storm with barely any winter weather on tap. Only the first few hours of this storm features snow, sleet & freezing rain and for some of you..the snow is much ado about nothing. Snow continues its northward advancement into MA,NH over the next few hours and on its heels is warm air upstairs. This warm warm will flip the snow over to sleet & freezing rain just after midnight (sooner along the coast) so that only gives a narrow window of opportunity (plow operators) for accumulating snow. Plan on 1-2" of snow west of I-95 and a coating or less from I-95 to the ocean. Travel conditions take a bit of a hit after 9pm, especially inland so allow extra time when traveling late this evening or overnight.
By early Wednesday morning the winter portion of this storm concludes with some pockets of freezing rain in the Worcester Hills and up into the Merrimack valley but for everyone else it’s just a plain ol rainy hump day. Raw too with temps only near 40 for much of the day. The back end of the storm swings through New England late tomorrow night with more rain–briefly heavy–as well as some wind. Wind gusts between 40-50mph are possible very early Thursday Morning. That Thursday Morning commute could be a slow go with the rain & the wind. The storm departs late Thursday Morning but leaves us a parting gift—mild air! Temps on Thursday are in the mid & upper 50s…quite unusual for a "winter storm".
Quiet weather settles into New England for Friday & the weekend.
Drive safe out there this evening.
~JR