1:23AM
DAYS 1-5 (FEBRUARY 15-19)…
Today is a holiday (Presidents Day) for many and this week is school vacation week for many as well. Changing weather is expected from the departure of the Arctic air to a storm that starts as snow and becomes rain, to a couple weaker systems and variable temperatures later in the week. The main feature will be a pretty potent low pressure area that tracks just west of southern New England late Tuesday. Ahead of this, overrunning of increasingly mild and moist air over stubborn Arctic air will result in snow developing later today and this evening, transitioning to sleet then rain, with a period of freezing rain causing some icing over some mainly interior areas of MA and southern NH. The entire precipitation area may pivot back to the west in response to the track of the low and the pulling of a frontal boundary for a time during the day Tuesday, but a heavier band of rain should slide back across the area as the low passes, followed by a rapid drying process from southwest to northeast Tuesday night. Wednesday, a much weaker follow up low pressure area will bring clouds and perhaps a rain/snow shower. High pressure builds in late in the week with a cooler and blustery Thursday and a more tranquil Friday, though clouds will return by later Friday as the next system approaches from the west.
TODAY: Sunny start. Cloudy finish. Snow developing CT/RI and South Coast of MA by mid to late afternoon. Temperatures start out the day -10 to +5, coldest interior valleys of MA and NH and least cold South Coast, then rise into the 20s during the day. Wind light variable becoming S up to 10 MPH.
TONIGHT: Overcast. Snow progressing northward during the evening with accumulations of under 1 inch from the South Shore to the South Coast of MA and across southern RI and 1-3 inches elsewhere. Snow transitioning to sleet then rain from south to north by later evening through overnight but a period of freezing rain mainly over interior MA and southern NH with some minor ice accretion favoring locations north of the Mass Pike and outside I-495 in north central MA and southern NH. Temperatures rising from the 20s into and through the 30s. Wind S increasing to 10-20 MPH.
TUESDAY: Cloudy. Intermittent rain in the morning. Steadier rain, possibly moderate to heavy, from southwest to northeast during the afternoon and evening including the slight risk of embedded thunder. Highs 45-50 north central MA and southern NH and 50s elsewhere. Wind S to SW 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.
TUESDAY NIGHT: Rain ending southwest to northeast followed by partial clearing. Lows in the 30s. Wind SW to W 15-25 MPH with higher gusts.
WEDNESDAY: Variably cloudy. Slight risk of passing rain and/or snow showers. Highs in the 40s morning, falling back into the 30s afternoon. Wind W to NW 15-25 MPH with higher gusts.
THURSDAY: Partly cloudy. Slight risk of isolated snow showers. Windy. Lows in the 20s. Highs in the 30s.
FRIDAY: Mostly sunny morning. Partly cloudy afternoon. Lows middle 10s to lower 20s. Highs around 40.
DAYS 6-10 (FEBRUARY 20-24)…
Low pressure passing north of the region will bring possible light mix pre-dawn of February 20 then a few rain showers during the morning. Fair, gusty wind, and cooling late February 20 through February 21. A pair of low pressure systems will bring some unsettled weather, at least cloudiness and possibly some precipitation, during the February 22-24 period, but details cannot be determined just yet.
DAYS 11-15 (FEBRUARY 25-29)…
Fair and colder February 25-26. Watching the period February 27-29 for possible winter storm threat.