DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 5-9)
A frontal boundary that has been instrumental in our weather so far this week will continue to play a role as we face another messy late winter weather event. It will start slowly today as clouds thicken across the region and a ribbon of precipitation, falling as rain, stretches eastward across eastern CT, RI, into southeastern MA with time, falling pretty lightly any time from midday on. It is tonight that this area of precipitation will solidify and drift northward to encompass the entire region in response to an eastward-moving low pressure area that will pass just south of our region during the first half of the day Friday. With high pressure in eastern Canada supplying cold air, we’re looking at a variety of precipitation. I’m expecting mainly rain for the South Coast, and while the front edge of the precipitation may be in the form of rain as it heads northward, its meeting with colder air will result in a flip to sleet and pockets of snow the further north you go, with this frozen precipitation variety, dominated by sleet, mostly north of I-90, while along and just south of I-90 more of a mix of sleet and rain is expected, but pockets of freezing rain can occur as well, and this is most likely to be seen in higher elevations from northwestern RI through south central MA due to the land elevation forcing the cold air layer to be more shallow, with precipitation reaching the cold surface as rain, rather than ice pellets. It is this area that has the greatest chance of ice accretion that can lead to very slippery travel and some tree branches coming down (increasing the power outage risk). The wildcard on this system is how much snow vs. sleet in parts of northern MA and southern NH, mainly from the Route 2 corridor northward. Right now, I would expected a general coating to 2 inch snow and sleet combination accumulation north of I-90, with 2 to 4 inch potential, more dominated by snow, along and north of the Route 2 corridor, especially away from the coast. I cannot rule out an accumulation exceeding 4 inches in a few locations that stay snow longest. Precipitation tapers off and ends from west to east during the morning and midday hours on Friday. Behind the system, we’re to be left with chilly air trapped at low levels, patches of drizzle or freezing drizzle, and areas of fog, and this can persist into early Saturday morning before a change takes place. This will occur as yet another low pressure area tracks northeastward through the Great Lakes into southern Canada, and an increasing southwesterly air flow gradually scours out the low level cold air. Saturday’s weather will eventually turn out milder, though clouds may remain dominant much of the time. This low’s cold front will slide across the region during Sunday morning and midday with a rain shower risk, followed by some clearing. The air behind that front will not be particularly cold, and will be of modified continental origin rather than the chilly eastern Canadian / maritime air we just experienced, so a milder feel can be enjoyed later Sunday through Monday as drier weather returns to the region.
The switch from Standard Time to Daylight Saving Time takes place on Sunday (2:00 a.m. EST becomes 3:00 a.m. EDT).
TODAY: Fog patches and patchy black ice early to mid morning, otherwise any early sun fades behind thickening clouds. Light rain arrives midday on eastern CT, RI, and into southeastern MA. Highs 40-47. Wind calm early, then E up to 10 MPH.
TONIGHT: Overcast. Areas of fog. Rain overspreads the region but changes to sleet and snow north of I-90 with pockets of freezing rain and sleet to the south except remaining mainly liquid rain South Coast. Greatest chance for freezing rain higher elevation areas of southern MA into northwestern RI. Lows 30-37. Wind E to NE 5-15 MPH, higher gusts overnight Cape Cod.
FRIDAY: Overcast. Areas of fog. Precipitation (mainly sleet / snow north and mix / rain south) tapering off from west to east by midday with patchy drizzle and freezing drizzle remaining thereafter. Total snow and sleet accumulation ranging from patchy coatings south of I-90 to a solid coating to 2 inches I-90 belt to the Route 2 corridor, with 2 to 4 inches more common north of the Route 2 corridor including isolated 4 to 6 inch amounts in interior southern NH and north central MA. Highs 32-39. Wind NE to N 5-15 MPH, higher gusts Cape Cod and eastern coastal areas.
FRIDAY NIGHT: Cloudy. Patchy drizzle / freezing drizzle. Foggy areas. Areas of black ice. Lows 30-37. Wind calm.
SATURDAY: Cloudy start with areas of fog and patchy drizzle, then breaking clouds with partial sun at times midday on. Highs 43-50, coolest South Coast. Wind calm early, eventually SW 5-15 MPH.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Variably cloudy. A rain shower possible overnight. Lows 35-42. Wind SW 5-15 MPH.
SUNDAY: Variably cloudy with a rain shower possible in the morning, then clearing. Highs 47-54, coolest Cape Cod. Wind W 5-15 MPH.
SUNDAY NIGHT: Mostly clear. Lows 38-45. Wind W 5-15 MPH.
MONDAY: Sunny to partly cloudy. Highs 43-50 South Coast, 50-57 elsewhere. Wind SW 5-15 MPH, higher gusts.
DAYS 6-10 (MARCH 10-14)
Watch for a sneaky back-door cold front potential early in the period, but right now leaning toward a strong enough southwesterly air flow to keep that from happening, with above normal temperatures, but modified much cooler air South Coast. A mid period cold front sweeps through with rain shower chances, may mix with snow at end, then a return to seasonably chilly air for mid March later in the period.
DAYS 11-15 (MARCH 15-19)
Pattern volatility but a trend to colder than normal while we watch for an end-of-spring bout or two of precipitation, which can include frozen precipitation.