DAYS 1-5 (MARCH 18-22)
A hint of spring, a taste of winter, that’s how we roll here in March, and it will be no different the next few days. We had a nice day yesterday, ending up with plenty of sun and relatively mild air for mid March (very late winter), and today will have its own relative mildness to it despite an overcast and eventual rain moving in. But cold air is not far from us and will be making its way steadily south as low pressure passes south of the region tonight and early Friday on its way to sea. This will flip the rain to snow from north to south, and allow for some generally minor accumulation before the system exits. The “worst” of the snow in the pre-dawn of Friday will be to impact visibility for anybody driving. Heavy enough snow may coat some secondary roadways and walkways for a short while, making them slushy/slippery, but main roads should stay just wet with this one, and most of the 1/2 to 2 inch accumulation should be on grassy surfaces and cold car tops, etc. Is it possible that a couple years may go over 2 inches? Yes, but it would make very little difference in overall impact. By later Friday, we’re dry, breezy, chilly, and clearing out. The vernal equinox at 5:37 a.m. Saturday marks the start of spring, although Saturday morning will definitely still have the chill of winter before the March sun makes the balance of the day quite tolerable despite a gusty breeze. Sunday and Monday will feature a decent temperature moderation, especially if you are away from the shoreline. The trademark “cooler coast” will be in effect as we develop sea breezes both days under the influence of springtime high pressure.
TODAY: Cloudy. Rain arrives west to east this afternoon. Highs 46-54. Wind SW to variable up to 10 MPH.
TONIGHT: Overcast. Rain evening, changing to snow overnight from north to south and accumulating 1/2 to 2 inches before tapering to snow showers. Lows 27-34. Wind variable shifting to N 5-15 MPH evening increasing to 10-20 MPH with higher gusts overnight, strongest near the coast.
FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy to partly sunny. Chance of snow showers early. Highs 36-43. Wind N 10-20 MPH, higher gusts.
FRIDAY NIGHT: Mostly clear. Lows 23-30. Wind NW 10-20 MPH, higher gusts, diminishing to 5-15 MPH.
SATURDAY: Sun and passing clouds. Highs 45-52. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Mostly clear. Lows 22-29. Wind N 5-15 MPH.
SUNDAY: Mostly sunny. Highs 52-59, but cooler eastern coastal areas. Wind NE up to 10 MPH.
SUNDAY NIGHT: Clear. Lows 32-39. Wind variable under 10 MPH.
MONDAY: Sunny. Highs 52-59 except cooler coast. Wind variable up to 10 MPH with coastal sea breezes.
DAYS 6-10 (MARCH 23-27)
March 23 … high pressure overhead, fair weather, mild inland, cool coast. March 24 … high pressure moves off and a frontal system approaches with a risk of rain showers. March 25-27 … Drier weather returns, cooler initially then moderating.
DAYS 11-15 (MARCH 28 – APRIL 1)
Overall pattern is dry but temperature forecast is uncertain as we will again be near a boundary between a warmer US Southeast and a colder eastern Canada, which is not unusual at all for early spring in the Northeast.