As we close out the work week, we’re dealing with a breezy and chilly Friday, but the biggest weather story? A rare storm-free weekend in New England! Matt lets us know when the next chance of snow may be and highlights the next 24 hours of weather in the video. Read on for the National & Northeast weather summaries.
A gradual warming trend will begin across the central and eastern U.S. today, marking the start of a pattern shift after the prolonged Arctic outbreak. While Friday morning will remain bitterly cold, with subzero temperatures in the northern Plains and Midwest, high pressure moving eastward will allow for moderating temperatures into the weekend. Wind chills as low as -20°F to -30°F will still be possible early in the day across the northern Plains and Upper Midwest, but by Sunday, temperatures will rise into the 20s and 30s for many areas, with even 40s and 50s returning to the southern U.S.
The Northeast will see a cold but mainly dry day, as lake-effect snow showers gradually taper off in New York and northern New England. A departing coastal storm will leave behind gusty northwest winds, especially across southern New England, before high pressure settles in over the weekend.
Meanwhile, on the West Coast, an atmospheric river event will begin to impact the Pacific Northwest, bringing heavy rain to coastal Washington and Oregon, with heavy mountain snow in the Cascades and northern Rockies. Rainfall totals of 2-4 inches are expected over a multi-day period, with localized flooding possible in areas of persistent rain.
Heading into next week, temperatures will continue to moderate across the East, while the West remains active with another storm system bringing more precipitation into the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies. A clipper system may also bring light snow to parts of the Great Lakes and Northeast early next week, but no major winter storms are currently on the horizon.
Cold but mainly dry weather will prevail across the Northeast and New England today as high pressure begins to build in from the west. Lingering lake-effect snow showers will continue across western and northern New York, but accumulations will be light compared to previous days, with only scattered snow showers in the Adirondacks, Green Mountains, and western Maine. Otherwise, expect a mix of sun and clouds with blustery northwest winds (20-30 mph, gusts to 35 mph) making it feel colder than actual temperatures.
High temperatures will struggle to climb above freezing, with readings in the 20s across northern New England and Upstate New York, while low 30s are expected along the southern New England coast. Wind chills will remain in the teens to low 20s, so it will still feel quite cold despite increasing sunshine.
By Friday night, winds will gradually ease, allowing for another cold night, with lows in the single digits and teens across most of the region. Valleys in northern New York and northern Vermont may drop below zero.
Looking ahead to the weekend, temperatures will begin to moderate, with highs reaching the mid-30s to near 40°F on Saturday and Sunday. A weak system may bring some light snow showers to northern New York and northern Vermont Saturday night into Sunday, but no significant accumulation is expected.
Into early next week, temperatures will continue to warm, with highs possibly reaching the mid-40s in southern New England by Tuesday. Another weak system may bring scattered rain and snow showers to the region Monday into Tuesday, but no major storms are expected at this time.
