Unlike last December, bitterly cold air is readily available in Canada this winter. Last year, we had the strongest El Nino in 20 years and El Nino’s usually mean mild winters for North America…and last year was no different…the second warmest winter on record! El Nino is not on the playing field this winter…it’s his kid sister–La Nina (a weak one hence the *younger sister* reference) that has an influence on our winter at times.
La Nina winters offer more cold shots of air than El Nino’s and the first wicked cold shot of the season is inbound. It looks to arrive early Thursday morning so even tho temps start in the low 20s they will crash into the low teens by the evening commute. Accompanying the bitter air will be strong northwest winds & perhaps an isolated snow shower. That wind will drill arctic air into New England overnight Thursday so that by Friday morning those temps are between -5 and +10. The record in Boston on Friday morning is +1 and the record in Worcester is -2. I don’t think Boston sets a record (likely bottoming out near 6 or 7) but Worcester could very well tie the record. Record or no record, wind chills will be dangerously low….down between -10 and -20 early Friday morning. All day Friday is cold, only in the teens by afternoon. This very well could be our coldest day of the entire winter as it is rare to have this kind of arctic air show up more than once in New England in a winter season.
Our next storm is Saturday and surely with all this arctic air it must be a snowstorm..yes? Nope. A storm will pass through the Great Lake states and while we will all have some snow Saturday morning, that storm will shove the arctic air out of southern New England so snowfall potential is limited at best. Plan on patchy rain & drizzle by Saturday afternoon as temps climb through the 30s. Even warmer weather is likely on Sunday….40s & low 50s. Unreal.
~JR