Well, safe to say that the 70 degree weather we had just a couple days ago is a distant memory as temps have plunged and heavy snow and sleet has moved back in. The heaviest snow and sleet will be with us through the morning until about noon before the intensity lightens up. We’ll also see the rain/sleet line move off the south coast and reach the Mass Pike by about 9-10am. Where we see the changeover the quickest, we’ll see the lowest totals of snow/sleet.
Across northern Mass, it’s mostly snow, however, there will likely be an hour or 2 in the 1-3pm time frame, where some sleet does mix in, before going back to snow. That change back to snow will work back toward the Pike after 3pm, and some lingering snow from 4-8pm will be prevalent across much of the area. While the switch back won’t add a lot more snow, another 1-2″, it will create the opportunity to recover the roads and slicken up untreated surfaces as temps drop. That temp drop, from the low to mid 30s to near 20, will happen between 4-8pm from north to south. While icy untreated surfaces redevelop late today and this evening, there will be times midday/early this afternoon where travel is manageable and main roads are mostly wet/slushy. Fortunately, this is not a nor’easter, so although gusty winds of 30-40mph develop near the coast, overall damaging winds, coastal flooding, erosion or widespread power outages, are not a concern.
The weekend looks cold and dry with temps in the 30s. Good for the sledding hills, ski resorts and that cross country skiing.