2:21AM
DAYS 1-5 (DECEMBER 21-25)
The Winter Solstice occurs this morning at 5:44AM. Winter officially begins at that time.
Boston’s average high temperature on Christmas Day is 39. The last 4 years have shown us an even split with 2012 and 2013 showing below normal temperatures with highs of 35 and 28, respectively, while the last 2 were anomalously warm at 59 in 2014 and 62 in 2015 following an incredibly warm Christmas Eve. It’s most rare to end up with a Christmas of near normal temperatures. This will be one of those years. But before we get to that, we have some weather changes to go through, although none of them will be particularly dramatic, just typical of a moderating temperature regime and fast flowing jet stream taking energy mainly north of the region, with associated fronts moving through the region Thursday and Saturday, bringing minor precipitation at best.
TODAY: Sunshine. Highs 37-44. Wind W 5-15 MPH gusting to 20 MPH.
TONIGHT: Increasing clouds. Lows 22-30. Wind SW 5-15 MPH.
THURSDAY: Mostly cloudy through early afternoon with scattered light snow to mix morning from central MA into southern NH, scattered light snow/rain southeastern NH, eastern MA, and northern RI later morning to early afternoon, and scattered light rain southeastern MA and southern RI early to mid afternoon. Decreasing clouds from west late. Highs 38-45. Wind SW 10-20 MPH shifting to W late with higher gusts.
THURSDAY NIGHT: Clearing. Lows 22-30. Wind W 5-15 MPH.
FRIDAY: Mostly sunny. Highs 36-43. Wind W 10-20 MPH.
SATURDAY – CHRISTMAS EVE: Variably cloudy. Isolated rain showers through early afternoon. Lows 22-30. Highs 38-45.
SUNDAY – CHRISTMAS DAY: Partly cloudy. Lows 20-28. Highs 38-45.
DAYS 6-10 (DECEMBER 26-30)
Current timing brings low pressure areas north of the region late December 26 to early December 27, and again around December 29. Temperatures fluctuate, average above normal overall, though brief cold shots follow the passage of fronts early December 27 and later December 29.
DAYS 11-15 (DECEMBER 31-JANUARY 4)
The same general pattern is expected with an overall milder than average regime and short-lived light to moderate precipitation events, favoring rain, a couple times.