All posts by Woods Hill Weather

Wednesday April 3 2024 Forecast (7:38AM)

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 3-7)

The key aspects of the upcoming storm, the main part of which occurs later today through early Thursday, will be wind and rain for southern and eastern areas and somewhat wind but mostly sleet and wet snow further west and north. The idea is generally the same for this as yesterday’s update, and that’s for the next round of precipitation (after last night’s entering and dissipating rainfall area) to arrive during this morning and midday from southwest to northeast and grow steady and moderate to at times heavy, with mixing and turning over to sleet and wet snow taking places earliest and most completely over interior higher elevations (mainly Worcester Hills to Monadnock Region) and progress generally but somewhat unevenly to the east from there, mostly the I-495 to I-95 belts to the north of I-90. The uneven advance will be due to mixing / changing occurring in heavier pockets of precipitation as they translate east and northeast. These pockets do a more efficient transport of colder air downward to aid in the process. I do think the track of a secondary low will be across far southeastern New England but close enough that the mix/change process can’t really take place further south, which is why I expect a mainly rain event with maybe some occasional mixing in these locations. As the low center moves away it will do so very slowly – held up a bit by blocking – during Thursday and Friday when we’ll have additional rain and snow showers. The wind aspect will be most notable tonight and early Thursday when we have the strongest gradient and onshore winds north of the low’s track. This can result in some damage to trees and scattered power outages. We’ll also have the chance to see some tree damage and power outages in the hilly terrain to the north and west where snow accumulates the most. With surface temperatures a little too warm to support icing, that won’t be a factor, and sleet does not generally lead to load problems for trees, so even where that accumulates it shouldn’t add much to the problems. For sleet/snow accumulation, I’m expecting 4-8 inches in the highest elevations of the Worcester Hills to Monadnocks, and in pockets further east in southern NH with 2-4 inches southeast of there into the the I-495 belt north of I-90, then pockets of slushy coatings to 2 inch amounts south and east of there but favoring inland areas north of I-90. Fast forward a little to the weekend when we’ll see gradual improvement as the low pressure area that is still impacting the region with clouds and a few rain showers Saturday will lose its grip Sunday when we will see better weather. Hang in there!

TODAY: Hint of sun eastern areas early, then re-thickening overcast. Rain arrives west to east, may mix with sleet and/or snow by later in the day over interior higher elevations northwest of Boston. Highs 40-47 early, then slowly falling. Wind NE-E 10-20 MPH, gusty.

TONIGHT: Overcast. Rain, heavy at times, will mix with and turn to sleet/snow at times favoring north central MA and southern NH. Lows 33-40. Wind E-NE 10-20 MPH inland, 20-30 MPH coast, higher gusts.

THURSDAY: Cloudy. Steady precipitation tapers to rain/snow showers. Highs 38-45, may spike to 45-52 Cape Cod. Wind NE-N 10-20 MPH inland, 20-30 MPH coast but may become variable Cape Cod, higher gusts probable.

THURSDAY NIGHT / FRIDAY: Mainly cloudy with additional rain/snow showers. Temperatures generally steady 38-45. Wind variable becoming N 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

FRIDAY NIGHT / SATURDAY: Lots of clouds. A few rain/snow showers Friday night and a few rain showers Saturday. Lows 30-37 Friday night. Highs 41-48 Saturday. Wind N-NW 10-20 MPH.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy. Lows 33-40. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.

SUNDAY: Partly to mostly sunny. Highs 47-54. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 8-12)

High pressure and fair weather April 8-9. Favorable sky conditions expected for solar eclipse viewing on April 8 (partial but greater than 90% coverage for WHW forecast areas while path of totality crosses far northern New England). Unsettled weather potential returns mid into late period. Temperatures near to above normal.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 13-17)

A more west-to-east flow means variable temperatures and weaker weather systems to pass through, including a couple rain shower threats to start. May need to watch for a return to some blocking later on in the period with onshore flow and cooler weather.

Tuesday April 2 2024 Forecast (7:19AM)

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 2-6)

A midweek storm will bother us with wind and a variety of precipitation. It’s to be a slow process both in and out. Today clouds thicken up and rain approaches, making it into areas west and south of Boston later in the day, but drying up somewhat as it pushes northeastward through evening. Renewed precipitation arrives overnight and Wednesday, mainly in the form of rain though some sleet/snow can start to mix in over higher elevations to the north and west as we go through the day. Just enough cold air is around so that sleet/snow will be an issue in northern MA and southern NH at times, with the greatest threat of accumulating snow favoring higher elevations of north central MA and southwestern NH Wednesday night into Thursday before precipitation tapers off to rain/snow showers, which will linger through Friday as low pressure will be slow to start pulling away. In fact, this low will still be impacting us into the start of the weekend with lots of clouds and maybe a few lingering rain showers. During the storm, especially Wednesday and early Thursday, expect fairly strong winds along the coast and some threat of coastal flooding as well. One potential surprise factor: Since temperatures in the atmosphere are very marginal, slightly heavier precipitation or a slightly further southeast low pressure track can pull the frozen precipitation area further east and south, so that will be something to monitor closely.

TODAY: Partial sun early, then cloudy. Later-day rain south central MA, eastern CT, RI, into southeastern MA. Highs 42-49, coolest in eastern coastal locations. Wind E up to 10 MPH.

TONIGHT: Cloudy. Spotty light rain, may mix with wet snow some interior higher elevations. Lows 35-42. Wind NE up to 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY: Overcast. Rain/mix/snow likely. Highs 38-45 but may fall slowly during the day. Wind NE-E 10-20 MPH, gusty.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Overcast. Rain, heavy at times, may mix with or turn to sleet/snow at times favoring north central MA and southern NH. Lows 33-40. Wind E-NE 10-20 MPH inland, 20-30 MPH coast, higher gusts.

THURSDAY: Cloudy. Steady precipitation tapers to rain/snow showers. Highs 38-45, may spike to 45-52 Cape Cod. Wind NE-N 10-20 MPH inland, 20-30 MPH coast but may become variable Cape Cod, higher gusts probable.

THURSDAY NIGHT / FRIDAY: Mainly cloudy with additional rain/snow showers. Temperatures generally steady 38-45. Wind variable becoming N 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

FRIDAY NIGHT / SATURDAY: Lots of clouds. A few rain/snow showers Friday night and a few rain showers Saturday. Lows 30-37 Friday night. Highs 41-48 Saturday. Wind N-NW 10-20 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 7-11)

Clearing trend to finish the weekend April 7. High pressure and fair weather April 8-9. Favorable sky conditions expected for solar eclipse viewing on April 8 (partial but greater than 90% coverage for WHW forecast areas while path of totality crosses far northern New England). Unsettled weather potential later in the period. Temperatures near to above normal.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 12-16)

A more west-to-east flow means variable temperatures and weaker weather systems to pass through, including a couple rain shower threats.

Monday April 1 2024 Forecast (7:51AM)

DAYS 1-5 (APRIL 1-5)

Welcome to April! I’m not going to play any jokes on you because Mother Nature will attempt that this week, and for most people it won’t be funny. We actually start out with a day that’s not too bad despite the lack of sun. The shield of clouds covering our sky is from a wave of low pressure passing to our south. While the cloud deck is thick enough to produce some precipitation, most of it will be evaporating before reaching the ground and only a few raindrops may find their way to the surface, but we’ll otherwise be in for a dry day despite the lack of sunshine. We’ll also lack the wind that was active most of the weekend. A weak trough of low pressure will swing across the region today and can produce a few spotty rain showers mainly from southern NH to northeastern MA. We’re entering a lengthy unsettled stretch of weather that spans the entire work week, but peaks in a midweek storm. Tomorrow, an arm of moisture ahead of this system tries to move in under an overcast sky, but again will battle dry air, so I feel that the precipitation shield will again be mostly aloft for the day, with some rain finally making it into eastern CT, RI, and parts of southeastern and south central MA later in the day, with any remains of that precipitation area will cause spotty light rain in the rest of the region at night, but will be fading. It will be early Wednesday when a more substantial precipitation shield arrives. As this storm impacts us during midweek (Wednesday/Thursday), there will be a high pressure area in eastern Canada supplying colder air. But like much of the winter, we find ourselves in a situation where temperatures are marginal between rain and snow, and it will be over inland, higher elevations, and with the aid of intensity, that snow is most likely to fall, with mixing occurring further east, but probably just a mainly rain event closer to the coast and most especially the further south you go. But we’ll have to keep a close eye on this, because a degree or two difference in the lower atmosphere makes a great difference in rain vs. snow for many areas. I do think in whatever form it’s falling the precipitation peaks in intensity Wednesday night. A primary low near the Great Lakes will give way to a secondary in our region, with the position of this low also being instrumental in determining rain vs. snow. During Thursday, the general idea with this system is it will lift far enough north to allow the precipitation to become less widespread and overall somewhat lighter, but a messy variety is still likely to be involved. And the very slow process of seeing this system exit will result in Friday being another unsettled day with clouds dominating and additional showers of precipitation, which may be in one or more forms. This forecast will obviously need to be tweaked in shorter terms as we go through the week.

TODAY: Mostly cloudy. A touch of very light rain possible at times, mainly near the South Coast. Highs 48-55, coolest coast. Wind variable up to 10 MPH, with light coastal sea breezes.

TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy. An evening rain shower possible southern NH and northeastern MA. Lows 35-42. Wind shifting to N up to 10 MPH.

TUESDAY: Cloudy. Late-day rain possible eastern CT, RI, and adjacent areas of southern MA. Highs 42-49, coolest in eastern coastal locations. Wind E up to 10 MPH.

TUESDAY NIGHT: Cloudy. Spotty light rain, may mix with wet snow some interior higher elevations. Lows 35-42. Wind NE up to 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY: Overcast. Rain/mix/snow likely. Highs 38-45 but may fall slowly during the day. Wind NE-E 10-20 MPH, gusty.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Overcast. Rain, heavy at times, may mix with or turn to sleet/snow at times favoring interior higher elevations. Lows 33-40. Wind E-NE 10-20 MPH inland, 20-30 MPH coast, higher gusts.

THURSDAY: Cloudy. Steady precipitation tapers to rain/snow showers. Highs 38-45, may spike to 45-52 South Coast. Wind variable 5-15 MPH, higher gusts.

THURSDAY NIGHT / FRIDAY: Mainly cloudy with additional rain/snow showers. Temperatures generally steady 38-45. Wind variable becoming N 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 6-10)

Slow improvement during the April 6-7 weekend, starting unsettled, ending dry as low pressure slowly pulls away. High pressure builds in with fair weather April 8-10. Overall favorable sky conditions expected for solar eclipse viewing on April 8 (partial but greater than 90% coverage for WHW forecast areas while path of totality crosses far northern New England). Temperatures below normal early period, trending milder thereafter.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 11-15)

Unsettled weather returns early to mid period with a low pressure trough. High pressure builds in late period with fair weather again. Temperatures near to above normal.

Sunday March 31 2024 Forecast (8:37AM)

DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 31 – APRIL 4)

It’s the final day of March, and for those celebrating, it’s Easter Sunday! Today’s going to be a pretty nice early spring day across our area. A small disturbance passed through the region overnight but exits first thing this morning with lingering clouds. Then we will have an interval of sun before fair-weather clouds pop up during the afternoon and share the sky with the sun. It’ll be rather mild for the final day of March despite a bit of a breeze, although it will be less windy than Saturday was. Enjoy this final day of March, because as we welcome April, we’re going to get into a complex set-up that also leads to unsettled weather a good deal of the coming week. There’s still a fair amount of uncertainty regarding the details of the stormy weather that’s due to impact the region. This is the general breakdown… First, an initial wave of low pressure moves out just south of the region later Monday, throwing a deck of clouds across our sky. Might it precipitate from this? Possibly, but there’s a good chance it may be just too far south to do much, so I’m going with the clouds but a mostly dry forecast for Monday. An extension of high pressure from eastern Canada noses in for Tuesday. We’ll still have a fair amount of cloudiness but the daytime should be dry. It’s Tuesday night and Wednesday that we’ll become involved with the main precipitation shield of a final storm system – one in which a parent low will move into the southern Great Lakes with a secondary forming near the northern Middle Atlantic coast and moving up into or just south of New England. The track of this storm will determine precipitation timing, intensity, and type, as we’ll be on the border of some air cold enough to produce snow. Odds favor more snow inland and with elevation based on the current expected set-up, but a slightly further south secondary storm would allow the colder air and snow opportunity to be further south and east, so we’ll have to watch this very closely for later Wednesday into Thursday.

TODAY: Clouds give way to sun, which then gives way to a sun/cloud mix. Highs 52-59. Wind W-NW 5-15 MPH, gusts around 20 MPH.

TONIGHT: Partly cloudy evening. Clear overnight. Lows 32-39. Wind NW 5-15 MPH evening, diminishing overnight.

MONDAY: Lots of clouds. Highs 49-56, cooler in some coastal areas. Wind variable up to 10 MPH with coastal sea breezes.

MONDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Lows 33-40. Wind N up to 10 MPH.

TUESDAY: Mostly cloudy. Highs 40-47. Wind E up to 10 MPH.

TUESDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Lows 35-42. Wind NE up to 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY: Overcast. Rain/mix/snow likely. Temperatures start 38-45 then slowly fall. Wind NE-E 10-20 MPH, gusty.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT / THURSDAY: Overcast with rain/mix/snow likely. Temperatures steady in 30s. wind E-NE 15-25 MPH, gusty.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 5-9)

Early period lingering storm impacts the region with clouds, wind, and some precipitation lingering, then a drying trend as high pressure builds in. Still a favorable outlook at this time for solar eclipse viewing April 8. Temperatures below normal early period, trending milder thereafter.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 10-14)

Unsettled weather returns early to mid period with a low pressure trough. High pressure builds in late period with fair weather again. Temperatures near to above normal.

Saturday March 30 2024 Forecast (8:36AM)

DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 30 – APRIL 3)

This weekend will feature generally dry weather across southeastern New England. There will be one minor interruption that some won’t even notice. First, we will be in a gusty northwesterly air flow today behind yesterday’s storm as it has moved northeastward into Atlantic Canada and intensified. While it’ll be a precipitation-free day we will see shreds of fractocumulus clouds become a bit more bulky with the aid of the sun’s heating of the ground and the subsequent rising of moisture on the surface from yesterday’s wet weather into the lower atmosphere where it’ll cool and fuel the fair-weather clouds. These will fade as the sun sinks later in the day, while at the same time we’ll see an advance of high to mid level clouds ahead of a small low pressure area that will pass just south of the region early Sunday. While dry air will limit what this system can do, a couple areas of rain and snow can occur during the overnight hours – rain more likely toward the South Coast with some wet snow more likely to the north, but this is going to be an insignificant event and exits the region by sunrise. There may be some leftover cloudiness from this system first thing Sunday morning (Easter Sunday for those celebrating). These will exit and we’ll have a period of bright sun, but much like today, sun’s heating will then trigger fair weather clouds that might fill much of the sky in the afternoon. Still though, not a bad day – less breezy and a little milder than today will be – as we say goodbye to March. April arrives Monday and we’ll immediately turn our attention to an upcoming storm threat. First, an initial wave of low pressure will track south of our region later Monday, bringing some clouds. While an area of light rain may skirt the South Coast, I do think the dry air will be substantial enough over the region to limit this. A second, more potent storm system will approach the region from the west, bringing the threat of rain/mix/snow to the region late Tuesday through Wednesday. It’s still too early to really iron out the details / impacts of this system, but those details will come into focus over the next couple of days.

TODAY: Sun/cloud mix. Highs 48-55. Wind NW 15-25 MPH, higher gusts, possibly to 40 MPH or even higher favoring the higher elevation locations.

TONIGHT: Clouding up. Some spotty light rain/sleet/snow possible overnight. Lows 35-42. Wind NW 10-20 MPH becoming W to variable up to 10 MPH overnight.

SUNDAY: Early clouds, then mostly sunny mid through late morning. Partly sunny afternoon. Highs 52-59. Wind variable up to 10 MPH becoming W-NW 5-15 MPH.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy. Lows 31-38. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.,

MONDAY: Clouds increase. Slight chance of late-day rain South Coast. Highs 50-57. Wind W to variable up to 10 MPH with coastal sea breeze possible.

MONDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Lows 33-40. Wind N up to 10 MPH.

TUESDAY: Cloudy. Snow/mix/rain arrives late day or nighttime. Highs 38-45. Wind N-NE 5-15 MPH.

TUESDAY NIGHT & WEDNESDAY: Overcast. Rain/mix/snow likely. Temperatures start 38-45 then slowly fall. Wind NE-E 10-20 MPH, gusty.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 4-8)

Early period storm impacts the region with rain/mix/snow likely. Drying out mid to late period as high pressure builds in. Favorable outlook at this time for solar eclipse viewing April 8. Temperatures below normal early period, trending milder thereafter.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 9-13)

High pressure brings fair weather first part of period, then unsettled weather threat returns mid to late period. Temperatures near to above normal.

Friday March 29 2024 Forecast (7:45AM)

DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 29 – APRIL 2)

Low pressure wraps up and intensifies as it passes east of New England today and heads for Atlantic Canada. The area of rain over the region to start the day will exit from west to east, possibly mixed with wet snow in some areas, hanging on lastly for the South Shore and Cape Cod region, where it will exit by mid afternoon (SS) to late afternoon (CC). By the end of the day, breaks in the clouds, especially to the west, can allow a bit of sun, and the wind will be picking up as the air dries out. Our weekend looks mostly dry, but a quick-moving disturbance will send a batch of clouds through later Saturday into early Sunday (Easter for those celebrating). While some guidance shows a fairly solid swath of snow and rain passing through the region, moisture is going to be limited so any precipitation should be fairly light and not take all that long to cross the WHW forecast area. This should occur in a 6-hour window about 3 a.m. to 9 a.m. Sunday. The balance of Sunday sees an increase in sun, and a breeze, but not bad. High pressure brings fair weather Monday before the next low pressure system moves in Tuesday, coinciding with the arrival of colder air. This means when precipitation arrives, we may be talking about more than “just rain”. Timing and details are of course fuzzy this far out, so check coming updates for the fine-tuning process!

TODAY: Cloudy start with a chance of rain favoring eastern areas, may be mixed with or even turn to wet snow in some areas before ending. Breaking clouds from west to east later. Highs 46-53. Wind N-NW increasing to 10-20 MPH with higher gusts later in the day.

TONIGHT: Clearing. Lows 30-37. Wind NW 10-20 MPH, higher gusts.

SATURDAY: Sun/cloud mix. Highs 48-55. Wind NW 15-25 MPH, higher gusts, possibly to 40 MPH or even higher favoring the higher elevation locations.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Clouding up. Some spotty light rain/sleet/snow possible overnight. Lows 35-42. Wind NW 10-20 MPH becoming W to variable up to 10 MPH overnight.

SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy including the chance of light snow/mix/rain early. Partly sunny later morning on. Highs 50-57. Wind variable up to 10 MPH becoming W-NW 5-15 MPH.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy. Lows 31-38. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.,

MONDAY: Sunny. Highs 51-58. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

MONDAY NIGHT: Clouding up. Lows 31-38. Wind N up to 10 MPH.

TUESDAY: Cloudy. Snow/mix/rain arrives late day or nighttime. Highs 38-45. Wind N-NE 5-15 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 3-7)

Midweek storm threat (rain/mix/snow). Drying trend later in the period. Temperatures below normal then moderating to near normal.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 8-12)

High pressure brings fair weather first part of period, then unsettled weather threat returns mid to late period. Temperatures near to above normal.

Thursday March 28 2024 Forecast (7:20AM)

DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 28 – APRIL 1)

No big changes to the overall ideas in the short-term forecast for today’s update, but a few tweaks to make. Staying with the idea of a soaking rain today and an exit of the rain, possibly mixed with or briefly turning to wet snow in some areas, during tomorrow. We replace wet weather with dry weather for the start of the weekend along with a gusty breeze, and we indeed have to watch a disturbance swing by the region but the timing is a little faster – Saturday night for a light precipitation threat, maybe into early Sunday. The balance of Sunday looks dry as that system moves away and we resume our northwesterly air flow. I believe that high pressure will nose in for a fair weather beginning to April on Monday.

TODAY: Overcast. Rain and areas of fog. Highs 45-52, coolest coast. Wind N-NE 5-15 MPH, higher gusts coastal areas.

TONIGHT: Overcast. Rain likely, may mix with snow in higher elevations of southwestern NH and northwestern MA prior to dawn. Lows 35-42. Wind NE-N 10-20 MPH.

FRIDAY: Cloudy start with a chance of rain favoring eastern areas, may be mixed with or even turn to wet snow in some areas before ending. Breaking clouds from west to east later. Highs 43-50. Wind N-NW increasing to 10-20 MPH with higher gusts later in the day.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Clearing. Lows 30-37. Wind NW 10-20 MPH, higher gusts.

SATURDAY: Sun/cloud mix. Highs 48-55. Wind NW 15-25 MPH, higher gusts, possibly to 40 MPH or even higher favoring the higher elevation locations.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Clouding up. Some spotty light rain/sleet/snow possible overnight. Lows 35-42. Wind NW 10-20 MPH becoming W to variable up to 10 MPH overnight.

SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy including the chance of light snow/mix/rain early. Partly sunny later morning on. Highs 50-57. Wind variable up to 10 MPH becoming W-NW 5-15 MPH.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy. Lows 31-38. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.,

MONDAY: Sunny. Highs 51-58. Wind W 5-15 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 2-6)

This looks like an unsettled weather period with a couple low pressure areas moving over or just south of the region bring rain/mix/snow to the region at times while high pressure sits in eastern Canada. April 2-3 look most likely for steadiest precipitation.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 7-11)

High pressure builds in with fair weather and cool to seasonable temperatures first half of period, which if holds true would be good news for April 8 solar eclipse viewing. Unsettled weather returns later in the period.

Wednesday March 27 2024 Forecast (7:43AM)

DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 27-31)

The final 5 days of the 3rd month of 2024 are covered in this portion of today’s blog forecast. Our unsettled stretch of weather will continue into Friday, and we may need to include additional unsettled weather previously not in the forecast for part of the weekend. Read on to see why. After yesterday’s chilly/raw feel with lots of drizzle around, that theme continued overnight into early this morning with areas of fog also around. The marine layer responsible will be somewhat stubborn to dislodge today, but eventually will give way to a milder and slightly drier southerly air flow ahead of an approaching cold front. This should limit or eliminate drizzle patches, allow the overcast to lift and possibly even develops some breaks, and in response the temperature to climb 10 or more degrees from yesterday’s chilly readings in many areas. This will be limited of course along the South Coast where a southerly air flow is a direct ocean breeze. The cold front ambles its way across our region from west to east tonight. While doing so it will induce scattered rain showers which will then increase in coverage overnight. This will be in response to a wave of low pressure forming and sending more moisture northward along the slowing frontal boundary, which will then sit offshore while low pressure moves up along it, giving us a steady period of rain Thursday and Thursday night. This rain, which is expected to amount to 1 to 3 inches total, will aggravate already existing flooding on some rivers and streams, and low lying swampy areas. The low pressure wave will intensify as it starts to pull away early Friday. The expecting timing is still that the first half of Friday will carry the highest chance of steady precipitation, mostly rain, but may mix with and turn to snow before ending especially in higher elevations north and west of Boston, and possibly closer to the coastal plain if precipitation is heavy enough toward the end of the event. The second half of Friday should feature a drying trend as the wind picks up behind the departing storm system. This dry but windy regime will then be with us through Saturday, with the atmospheric set-up being one that allows wind gusts up to or even over 40 MPH, especially in higher elevation locations. One uncertainty for the upcoming weekend: Watching a small low pressure disturbance that has been fairly consistently forecast by reliable medium range guidance. My thoughts have been that this system would pass harmlessly south of us on Sunday (which is Easter for those who celebrate). But some guidance insists that this system will clip our region early Sunday before moving on, and I can’t ignore this completely, so I’m cautiously adding the chance of a little precipitation to the early part of Sunday’s outlook to cover this possibility. These small systems can be hard to forecast in the northwest flow that we’ll have. I do expect, based on that timing, that the balance of Sunday would turn out dry, and less windy than Saturday. Additionally, the colder air deliver behind the late week storm system will be modest at best, so the weekend high temps will be OK for late March.

TODAY: Overcast with areas of fog and drizzle during this morning. Mostly cloudy this afternoon. Scattered rain showers enter southwestern NH and central MA late in the day. Highs 45-52 Cape Cod / South Coast region and immediate eastern coast, 52-59 elsewhere. Wind N to E under 10 MPH, shifting SE to S up to 10 MPH.

TONIGHT: Cloudy. Scattered rain showers evening. Steadier rain arrives overnight. Lows 38-45. Wind variable shifting to N up to 10 MPH.

THURSDAY: Overcast. Rain and areas of fog. Highs 45-52, coolest coast. Wind N-NE 5-15 MPH, higher gusts coastal areas.

THURSDAY NIGHT: Overcast. Rain likely, may mix with snow in higher elevations of southwestern NH and northwestern MA prior to dawn. Lows 35-42. Wind NE-N 10-20 MPH.

FRIDAY: Cloudy start with a chance of rain favoring eastern areas, may be mixed with or even turn to wet snow in some areas before ending. Breaking clouds from west to east later. Highs 43-50. Wind N-NW increasing to 10-20 MPH with higher gusts later in the day.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Clearing. Lows 30-37. Wind NW 10-20 MPH, higher gusts.

SATURDAY: Sun/cloud mix. Highs 48-55. Wind NW 15-25 MPH, higher gusts, possibly to 40 MPH or even higher favoring the higher elevation locations.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Partly to mostly cloudy. Lows 35-42. Wind NW 10-20 MPH becoming W to variable up to 10 MPH overnight.

SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy including the chance of light snow/mix/rain early. Partly sunny midday on. Highs 50-57. Wind variable up to 10 MPH becoming W-NW 5-15 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (APRIL 1-5)

Unsettled weather windows April 2-3 and April 5 with potential rain/mix/snow depending on track of storm systems moving over or just south of the region while cold high pressure resides in eastern Canada.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 6-10)

Pattern remains cool but may shift to be somewhat drier, but still have to watch upper level low pressure that may keep the region unsettled. Will continue to monitor trends in regards to sky conditions for The April 8 solar eclipse, in which the path of totally crosses northern New England.

Tuesday March 26 2024 Forecast (7:35AM)

DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 26-30)

A few days of unsettled weather begin today, with a little different set-up for each day. Today, it’s the offshore storm we’ve been watching as it tosses an arm of moisture back our way, eventually dampening our day. Tomorrow, it’s a moist southerly air flow working on the leftovers from today’s system in combination with an approaching trough and cold front from the west. Thursday it will be a wave of low pressure moving up from the south along the aforementioned cold front as it slows down while moving offshore. The wildcard remains for Friday – how fast does that storm wrap up and get out of here and does it mean quicker-drying weather, prolonged rain, or even some snow getting involved at the end of the system? Still not sure, so I’m leaving the forecast as it was worded on yesterday’s blog and will try to tweak the fine-tune knob again tomorrow. It does look like we’ll indeed by dry for the start of the weekend, regardless, albeit breezy and chilly, as we’ll be in a northwesterly air flow behind all of the unsettled weather of this week.

TODAY: Cloudy. Afternoon patchy light rain/drizzle favoring I-95 and east. Highs 40-47. Wind E 10-20 MPH, strongest coast.

TONIGHT: Cloudy. Chance of light rain mainly I-95 eastward, but any spotty precipitation that makes the I-495 belt may fall as freezing rain. Lows 31-38. Wind E 5-15 MPH.

WEDNESDAY: Mostly cloudy. Rain showers likely, especially in the afternoon. Highs 45-52 Cape Cod / South Coast, 52-59 elsewhere. Wind S 5-15 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Cloudy. Chance of rain showers early evening. Steadier rain arriving overnight. Lows 38-45. Wind shifting to N 5-15 MPH.

THURSDAY: Overcast. Rain likely. Highs 45-52, coolest coast. Wind NE 10-20 MPH, higher gusts coastal areas / Cape Cod.

THURSDAY NIGHT: Overcast. Rain likely, especially eastern areas. Lows 38-45. Wind NE-N 10-20 MPH.

FRIDAY: Cloudy start with a chance of rain favoring eastern areas. Clearing trend follows. Highs 42-49. Wind N-NW 10-20 MPH, higher gusts.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Clear. Lows 27-34. Wind NW 10-20 MPH, higher gusts.

SATURDAY: Sun/cloud mix. Highs 45-52. Wind NW 10-20 MPH, higher gusts.

DAYS 6-10 (MARCH 31 – APRIL 4)

Dry, breezy, chilly weather to round out the weekend and end the month of March. The first few days of April present an opportunity for unsettled weather with rain/mix/snow chances as low pressure tracks to our south with cold high pressure in eastern Canada. This system should be beyond the region with breezy/chilly but dry weather to end the period.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 5-9)

Similar pattern with another opportunity for unsettled weather early to mid period. Looking for a push of high pressure to try to dry the region out later in the period but remains to be seen if we’ll be plagued with upper level low pressure and at least additional cloudiness. Critical forecast for April 8’s solar eclipse (path of totality northern New England) which we’ll be eyeing over the coming days.

Monday March 25 2024 Forecast (7:39AM)

DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 25-29)

Offshore low pressure continues to throw its cloud shield over our region, thickest to the east, thinner to the west, and this will be the case much of today, though with some variation. Once again sun will be most limited to start the day and more able to shine through that cloud deck with time as the orb makes its transit across the sky. The air flow between that low pressure out there and high pressure to our northwest and north will tilt more northeasterly today than it was yesterday, keeping it chilly, especially along the coast where it will only make the lower 40s while inland has a better shot at upper 40s. But before we get to the high temps today, it’s colder away from the coast to start out the day (20s many areas as opposed to 30s coast). Unsettled weather is going to be with us for much of the remainder of this week. The offshore low slides back to the west somewhat, throwing some of its moisture toward and eventually into southeastern New England later Tuesday. While I expect most of this to occur in the I-95 belt eastward, Tuesday night’s temperatures to the west can be near or just below freezing allowing any light rain there to create some surface icing – so be aware of that potential. A cold front associated with an eastward moving trough initially slows down in response to the low to our east, but will then move into and across the region during Wednesday and Wednesday night. This will send a push of milder air into our region, but also additional moisture in the form of rain showers. As the front ambles offshore it will pause as a stronger low pressure wave develops and moves up along it, bringing us our best chance at widespread, somewhat heavier rainfall on Thursday. This system will exit during Friday, but the continuing question to answer is just how quickly this will happen. Medium range guidance continues to have different depictions of this scenario, some showing a quick eastward exit, some showing a much slower exit with wet weather into much of Friday, and some even showing snow getting involved in the late stages of the system as colder air is pulled into it. The scenario I am leaning toward is the same as yesterday, a wet start then drying trend Friday, but this is still not a high confidence forecast and may not be for a couple more days.

TODAY: Thickest clouds east with covered to dim sunshine first half of day. Thinner clouds west with filtered to potentially brighter sun second half of day. Highs 40-47, coldest eastern coastal areas. Wind NE 10-20 MPH, gusty.

TONIGHT: Clouds advance westward. Lows 31-38. Wind NE 5-15 MPH, higher gusts especially coastal areas.

TUESDAY: Cloudy. Chance of rain in the afternoon, favoring eastern areas. Highs 40-47. Wind E 10-20 MPH, strongest coast.

TUESDAY NIGHT: Cloudy. Chance of light rain mainly I-95 eastward, but any spotty precipitation that makes the I-495 belt may fall as freezing rain. Lows 31-38. Wind E 5-15 MPH.

WEDNESDAY: Mostly cloudy. Rain showers likely, especially in the afternoon. Highs 45-52 Cape Cod / South Coast, 52-59 elsewhere. Wind S 5-15 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Cloudy. Chance of rain showers early evening. Steadier rain arriving overnight. Lows 38-45. Wind shifting to N 5-15 MPH.

THURSDAY: Overcast. Rain likely. Highs 45-52, coolest coast. Wind NE 10-20 MPH, higher gusts coastal areas / Cape Cod.

THURSDAY NIGHT: Overcast. Rain likely, especially eastern areas. Lows 38-45. Wind NE-N 10-20 MPH.

FRIDAY: Cloudy start with a chance of rain favoring eastern areas. Clearing trend follows. Highs 42-49. Wind N-NW 10-20 MPH, higher gusts.

DAYS 6-10 (MARCH 30 – APRIL 3)

Dry, breezy, chilly weather expected for the March 30-31 weekend with a northwest to west air flow. The first few days of April present an opportunity for unsettled weather with rain/mix/snow chances as low pressure tracks to our south with cold high pressure in eastern Canada.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 4-8)

Similar pattern into the end of the first week of April with additional opportunities for unsettled weather. May be push of high pressure with fair weather to end the period and we’ll be keeping a close eye on April 8 for solar eclipse weather viewing (more to come about this soon).

Sunday March 24 2024 Forecast (8:50AM)

DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 24-28)

A potential hazard exists for parts of the region to start the day today, and that is ice patches on the ground in the wake of yesterday’s storm system. Far north and west of Boston from the Worcester Hills to the Monadnock Region the temperature never got that far above freezing, and in some cases sat near to below freezing for a good part of the day on Saturday. Coatings to a few inches of snow were followed by sleet and freezing rain, and even areas that changed to rain did not warm up all that much. This was followed by a temperature drop overnight. Further south and east, while the initial snow/sleet and eventual freezing rain were not an issue, wet ground was left behind from rain before temperature fell sub-freezing. In many areas, a pick-up of overnight and early morning wind has helped to evaporate water / sublimate ice off many surfaces, but where that did not occur, be alert for icy patches that may linger for a while this morning, before the combination of wind and temperatures climbing over freezing, as well as higher sun angle where the sun is shining, will help largely eliminate the ice-on-ground issue. For our weather today, offshore low pressure and high pressure to our northwest will combine to create a brisk north to northeast wind, and while it will be a dry day, we’ll have a canopy of clouds often covering much of the east / southeast 1/2 to 2/3 of the sky. This will limit the sun earlier in the day, but allow it to shine more later on. This set-up shifts only slightly on Monday with high pressure a bit further northeast and low pressure a bit further southwest, shifting our wind more to northeast. While the upper level cloud canopy will still be a factor, we may see more lower clouds being driven in off the ocean on the northeast wind, especially for coastal areas from Boston south, limiting the sun further. When we get to Tuesday and midweek, we’ll enter a stretch of unsettled weather again. This will initially begin as the offshore low pressure drifts southwest to west and throws an arm of moisture in the form of light rainfall our way during Tuesday. At the same time, another trough of low pressure will start to slide into the Northeast after high pressure has drifted sufficiently away into Atlantic Canada. These systems will combine at midweek to give us a cloudy sky and frequently wet weather. As we get closer to that, timing and rain intensity details will come more into focus, but for now plan on unsettled weather for several days…

TODAY: Limited sun early becomes brighter with time. Highs 41-48. Wind N-NE 10-20 MPH with higher gusts, strongest at eastern shores.

TONIGHT: Variably cloudy with most clouds over RI, eastern MA, NH Seacoast. Lows 30-37. Wind NE 10-20 MPH, gusty.

MONDAY: Partly sunny. Highs 38-45. Wind NE 10-20 MPH, gusty.

MONDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Lows 31-38. Wind NE 5-15 MPH, higher gusts.

TUESDAY: Cloudy. Chance of rain in the afternoon, favoring eastern areas. Highs 40-47. Wind E 10-20 MPH, strongest coast.

TUESDAY NIGHT & WEDNESDAY: Overcast. Periods of rain. Areas of fog. Temperatures steady in 40s. Wind E to SE 5-15 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT & THURSDAY: Overcast. Rain showers likely. Foggy times. Temperature steady in 40s. Wind E-NE 5-15 MPH, higher gusts.

DAYS 6-10 (MARCH 29 – APRIL 2)

Optimistic outlook for drying trend March 29 and a dry, chilly March 30-31 weekend. Additional unsettled weather to begin April with near to below normal temperatures.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 3-7)

We’ll have to continue to watch low pressure to our south to bring potential unsettled weather while high pressure to the north provides plenty of cool air.

Saturday March 23 2024 Forecast (9:03AM)

DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 23-27)

An early spring storm, with some late winter attributes included, started to impact the region late last evening as a swath of snow overspread much of the region north of Interstate 90, with a coating to even an inch or two of accumulation of snow, greatest in the Route 2 Corridor west of Interstate 495. A coating of snow, and afterward some sleet, extended eastward into Boston’s northern suburbs. Some snow and sleet even occurred in the city of Boston as well. Cold air trapped near the surface has resulted in some of the precipitation remaining as sleet for a while, with most areas now rain, however surface temperatures at or just below freezing from around Worcester northward to southwestern New Hampshire has resulted in some slick spots there with freezing rain. This hazard will be around through mid morning in the coldest valley areas before the temperature warms sufficiently to eliminate it. For the rest of us, it’s just rain, and rain will be the story for the region in general throughout the day today. However, the heaviest swath of rain is going to head through our region later this afternoon and very early this evening. This will take place as the center of the low pressure area responsible for the foul weather cuts right across southeastern New England. It looks like the center itself will pass over RI and southeastern MA between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. The track of this system will determine some weather details as we go through the climax of the storm system. Fairly heavy rain should be widespread (1.5 to 3.5 inches for the region when it’s all done), and the heaviest band of rain just ahead of the low’s passage may also contain thunderstorms. Another aspect will be wind, which will be variable in the region as the storm approaches and especially as it passes by. Ahead of it, we’ll have a light to moderate northeast to east wind, shifting more southeast with time. As the low center cuts across the region, southeast winds will increase and be at their strongest over southeastern MA and RI, with some minor wind damage possible (and resultant power outages also possible). A more variable and lighter wind will be felt right under the low center as it goes by, with an easterly wind shifting to more northerly in locations that are west of the low’s track. These winds will not be quite as strong as the southerly winds on the other side of the track. But what will be going on on the back side of the system is the return of colder air, which may occur quickly enough to flip the rain back to sleet and/or snow briefly in areas north and northwest of Boston before it comes to an end. To the southeast, it will end as just rain. Behind this system, we dry out, but along the frontal boundary trailing southward from the departing low, we’ll see additional low pressure development, and it, combined with high pressure to our north, will create a gusty north to northeast wind for our region both Sunday and Monday, making the already chilly air feel a bit colder. Additionally, clouds may be stubborn to depart, especially in coastal areas, during both of those days. Tuesday and Wednesday will present a complex weather set-up, with clouds again dominant and another rainfall threat evolving during Tuesday and lasting through Wednesday. This will occur as offshore low pressure retrogrades and throws a swath of moisture back into our region, while at the same time another trough of low pressure approaches from the west and throws its own moisture at us. In other words, we’ll be right at the fence that these two systems meet up to chat about whose property we are, and that “conversation” may last a while once it begins…

TODAY: Overcast. Rain – pockets of freezing rain through mid morning Worcester Hills to Monadnock Region. Heavier rain more widespread late afternoon / evening including the chance of thunderstorms. Areas of fog. Highs 38-45 northwest of Boston-Providence corridor, 45-52 to the southeast, occurring late-day. Wind NE-E 5-15 MPH until midday, E-SE 10-20 MPH with higher gusts, strongest along the coast, much of the afternoon, then late afternoon and evening winds SE-S 15-25 MPH with gusts 35-50 MPH southeastern MA especially east of the Cape Cod Canal, variable 5-15 MPH but potentially higher gusts Providence-Boston region, and E-NE 10-20 MPH with higher gusts to the north and west.

TONIGHT: Overcast evening with rain ending, possibly as a mix/snow to the north and northwest of Boston. Breaking clouds overnight. Lows 32-39. Wind NE-N 10-20 MPH, higher gusts.

SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy to partly sunny. Highs 41-48. Wind N-NE 10-20 MPH, higher gusts, strongest along the coast.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Variably cloudy. Lows 30-37. Wind NE 10-20 MPH, gusty.

MONDAY: Partly sunny. Highs 38-45. Wind NE 10-20 MPH, gusty.

MONDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Lows 31-38. Wind NE 5-15 MPH, higher gusts.

TUESDAY: Cloudy. Chance of rain in the afternoon, favoring eastern areas. Highs 40-47. Wind E 10-20 MPH, strongest coast.

TUESDAY NIGHT & WEDNESDAY: Overcast. Periods of rain. Areas of fog. Temperatures rise slightly to 43-50. Wind E to variable 5-15 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (MARCH 28 – APRIL 1)

Additional unsettled weather is expected into late next week, with a possible period of drier and brighter weather arriving for the March 30-31 weekend and maybe April 1 too. Temperatures below to near normal.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 2-6)

Additional unsettled weather threats and variable temperatures in an active early spring weather pattern. Not much changing here…

Friday March 22 2024 Forecast (7:32AM)

DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 22-26)

High pressure brings sun and more tranquil weather today before it slips away. Clouds arrive later today and thicken up tonight ahead of our next storm system. Precipitation arrives late evening and overnight as rain to the south, snow to the north, with some minor snow accumulation before it changes to rain. And then we have a rainy Saturday ahead. The upcoming storm has 2 main pulses associated with 2 low pressure centers. The first passes by in the morning and the second comes later Saturday when the heaviest rain will occur across the region – even a chance for thunder. As this pulls through, colder air will arrive, maybe quickly to turn the rain back to a mix or even brief snow northwest of Boston before it ends. Sunday’s going to be a drier day, but clouds may hang in as another low pressure area develops offshore, not too far to the southeast of our area. With high pressure approaching from the west, the air flow between it and the offshore storm will tighten up and we’ll end up windy again Sunday into Monday. By Tuesday of next week, the combination of moisture from the offshore low, and another approaching low from the west, will likely converge on our region to turn the weather wet once again. Not sure of the details on this yet, and will fine-tune those in future blog updates.

TODAY: Sun dominates but gives way to advancing clouds west to east late. Highs 39-46. Wind W 5-15 MPH morning, variable up to 10 MPH afternoon.

TONIGHT: Clouds thicken. Precipitation arrives late evening / overnight, mainly rain but starting as snow/mix north of I-90 with a coating to 2 inches possible, highest amounts in higher elevations of north central MA and southwestern NH. Lows 30-37 evening, may rise overnight. Wind NE to E 5-15 MPH, stronger at the coast.

SATURDAY: Overcast. Rain likely, heaviest during the mid to late afternoon. Highs 40-47. Wind E 10-20 MPH, strongest coast, higher gusts possible.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Cloudy. Rain ends early, but may end as mix/snow north and west of Boston. Lows 32-39. Wind NE-N 5-15 MPH, higher gusts.

SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy. Highs 40-47. Wind N-NE 5-15 MPH, higher gusts.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Variably cloudy. Lows 30-37. Wind NE 10-20 MPH, gusty.

MONDAY: Partly sunny. Highs 38-45. Wind NE 10-20 MPH, gusty.

MONDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Lows 31-38. Wind NE 5-15 MPH, higher gusts.

TUESDAY: Cloudy. Chance of rain. Highs 40-47. Wind E 10-20 MPH.

DAYS 6-10 (MARCH 27-31)

Stretch of unsettled weather as a couple of low pressure areas impact the region through March 29, mostly rain but some mix/snow may become involved as colder air will be nearby. Drier trend for the March 30-31 weekend, but a low confidence outlook out that far.

DAYS 11-15 (APRIL 1-5)

Additional unsettled weather threats and variable temperatures in an active early spring weather pattern.

Thursday March 21 2024 Forecast (7:14AM)

DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 21-25)

A blustery, winter-feeling early-spring day is on our weather menu today as a small but strong low pressure area exits Maine into Atlantic Canada and high pressure builds across the Great Lakes. We are now at the point in the year where these dry and windy days present elevated brush fire danger. High pressure will slide eastward into Friday and diminish the wind, and the fire danger, though the chill will be hanging around. Clouds advance later Friday ahead of our next upcoming storm system – low pressure that will cut across the Northeast / New England on Saturday. This system will produce a solid swath of precipitation that should fall as mostly rain, but will likely start as snow Friday night especially from the Boston area west and north and may end as mix/snow in similar areas on Saturday evening. While drier weather is expected for Sunday, clouds may remain dominant as another low pressure wave passes by just to our southeast. Early next week will feature dry weather and below normal temperatures between low pressure in Atlantic Canada and high pressure to our west.

TODAY: Sun and passing clouds. Highs 36-43. Wind NW 10-20 MPH, gusts 25-35 MPH. Wind chill in the 10s / 20s.

TONIGHT: Mostly clear. Lows 23-30. Wind NW 10-20 MPH with higher gusts evening, diminishing somewhat overnight.

FRIDAY: Sun followed by clouds. Highs 38-45. Wind W 5-15 MPH becoming variable up to 10 MPH.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Cloudy. Snow/mix/rain arrives by late evening – snow accumulation a coating to 2 inches I-95 west / I-90 north, before turning to rain. Lows 28-35 evening, may rise overnight. Wind NE to E 5-15 MPH, stronger at the coast.

SATURDAY: Overcast. Rain, heavy at times. Highs 40-47. Wind E 10-20 MPH, strongest coast, higher gusts possible.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Cloudy. Rain ends early, but may end as mix/snow north and west of Boston. Lows 32-39. Wind NE-N 5-15 MPH, higher gusts.

SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy. Highs 40-47. Wind N-NW 5-15 MPH, higher gusts.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Variably cloudy. Lows 30-37. Wind NW 10-20 MPH, gusty.

MONDAY: Partly sunny. Highs 38-45. Wind NW 10-20 MPH, gusty.

DAYS 6-10 (MARCH 26-30)

Dry with below normal temperatures to start the period then additional unsettled weather and variable temperatures middle of next week. Drying trend returns late week based on current timing.

DAYS 11-15 (MARCH 31 – APRIL 4)

Additional unsettled weather threats and variable temperatures in an active early spring weather pattern.

Wednesday March 20 2024 Forecast (7:43AM)

DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 20-24)

Spring arrived last night (11:06 p.m. vernal equinox) and these early spring days will present us with plenty of weather to keep track of. Today, a disturbance moves through the region in the form of an initially weak low pressure area, pushing a warm front with a few rain showers through this morning. We’ll get a break for several hours where it’s pleasantly milder and less windy than yesterday, and then a strong cold front will come along this evening with more potent showers of mostly rain, though with an immediate arrival of cold air, some of these can mix with and change to snow, especially north of I-90, before they wind down later at night. This will take place as the initially weak low redevelops and intensifies rapidly as it enters the Gulf of Maine (giving parts of Maine a quick-hitting snowstorm tonight). Behind this system, we’ll have a chilly, windy Thursday but with dry weather. Quick-moving systems mean that we’ll see clouds increasing ahead of our next storm system during Friday. This system’s center looks as if it will be far enough north so that cold air that allows the precipitation to start mixed or as snow for some of the region should be pushed out enough for the heaviest of it to fall as rain in much of the region Friday night into Saturday. Two uncertainties: A slight southward shift in that storm track would mean more frozen precipitation could be involved, so we need to watch that closely, and also the timing of the departure, which may end up somewhat delayed by a slower-departing system. Sunday looks like a dry, breezy, chilly day, but we’ll have to watch southeastern areas for a blanket of clouds that may hang on behind the weekend system, though at this point I think precipitation would remain offshore.

TODAY: Cloudy start with scattered rain showers. Some breaks of sun later morning into afternoon before a cloudier finish and another rain chance especially west and north of Boston. Highs 47-54. Wind variable up to 10 MPH, then SW 5-15 MPH, higher gusts late in the day.

TONIGHT: Cloudy evening with rain showers likely, even a slight chance of a thunderstorm. Rain showers may mix with or turn to snow showers west to east, especially north of I-90, before ending. Clearing overnight. Lows 28-35. Wind SW 10-20 MPH with higher gusts, shifting to NW. Black ice patches possible.

THURSDAY: Sun and passing clouds. Highs 37-44. Wind NW 10-20 MPH, gusts 25-35 MPH.

THURSDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy evening. Clear overnight. Lows 25-32. Wind NW 10-20 MPH, diminishing overnight.

FRIDAY: Sun followed by clouds. Highs 38-45. Wind W 5-15 MPH becoming variable up to 10 MPH.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Cloudy. Snow/mix north, mix/rain south. Lows 28-35 evening, may rise overnight. Wind NE to E 5-15 MPH, stronger at the coast.

SATURDAY: Overcast. Rain likely, may be mixed with sleet and/or snow north at least early in the day. Highs 36-43. Wind E-NE 10-20 MPH.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Cloudy. Chance of rain, possibly mixed with sleet/snow. Lows 33-40. Wind NE-N 5-15 MPH.

SUNDAY: Clouds linger southeastern and eastern areas, clearing northwest. Highs 40-47. Wind N 5-15 MPH, higher gusts.

DAYS 6-10 (MARCH 25-29)

Dry to start, then additional unsettled weather with rain/mix/snow opportunities. Temperatures variable for the period, averaging somewhat close to normal.

DAYS 11-15 (MARCH 30 – APRIL 3)

Additional unsettled weather threats and variable temperatures in an active early spring weather pattern.