A fast-moving clipper system will bring snow, rain and wind to New England late Wednesday into Thursday. Here’s what to expect:
- Timeline:
While there may be a few rogue showers of both rain and snow ahead of the steadiest precipitation Wednesday evening, the leading edge of the snow and rain will arrive west to east generally 8-11pm. The “height” of this storm is overnight into early Thursday morning where the precipitation may come down hard enough to cool the atmosphere a bit and cause a flip from rain to snow briefly in eastern, MA. While a coating of snow is possible, especially on grassy surfaces, roads will be more wet than white in those areas. Outside of 495 and extending into much of the remainder of the region, be mindful of slippery travel. The back edge of the snow and rain arrives by mid to late morning, though some scattered showers will persist into the afternoon as the sun breaks out.
- Snow Totals:
- Inside I-495: Coatings to perhaps as much as an 1 inch, mostly on grassy surfaces.
- Central MA & higher elevations: 2–4 inches, with localized 4–6 inches in the northern Berkshires and northern Vermont (elevation dependent, some higher totals there).
- Northwestern Maine: 8–10 inches, locally higher in elevation.
- Otherwise a general 2-4″ storm for much of the remainder (see map in video)
- Rain Totals: Precipitation melted down will generally run around 0.25 to 0.5″, but some locally higher rainfall totals 0.5″ to 1″ are possible on Cape Cod.
- Wind and Cold:
Winds shift to blow out of the west and increase Thursday evening, gusting 30–40 mph, continuing overnight (shfiting to west-northwest) with some isolated gusts to 50 mph on Cape Cod. Pockets of wind damage will result. Friday brings wind chills in the teens for much of New England and single digits in the far North Country. Highs Friday stay in the 20s to lower 30s, with a wintry chill persisting into the weekend.
- Travel Impacts:
Plan for slick roads Thursday morning, especially outside of I-495. Leftover moisture may freeze Thursday evening as the cold blasts in, so watch for slipper & icy patches, even where it was rain.
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