DAYS 1-5 (FEBRUARY 18-22)
Around the net the last day or so I’ve experienced a lot of folks expecting a high impact storm. No. It’s NOT going to be a high impact storm. It’s going to be a long-duration event, as result of elongated low pressure broken up into a few centers, like an elongated soap bubble wobbling along, instead it will be stretched out low pressure passing just south of New England between today and Friday night. Several inches of snow falling over a 30+ hour period is not going to have a major impact, and it may be that the total accumulation in any given spot will never be how much new snow is actually on the ground, since some of this will melt as or not long after it falls during the daylight hours of Friday. So keep that in mind when viewing the forecast accumulations. A forecast of 4 to 8 inches does NOT mean you will have an instantaneous 8 inches of new snow sitting on every available surface. It may only be 4 inches, it may be 5, 6, 7, 8. The storm probably won’t over-achieve anywhere but it could very well under-achieve in places that happen to miss out on some of the steadier batches of snow. That’s the nature of this kind of system. I cannot stress that enough and it seems like collectively the lesson is never fully learned. Not every storm is a hard-hitting thump of heavy snow that drops all its accumulation in a handful of hours. The weather pattern we are in is conducive to just the kind of system we’re about to experience. At least this time it won’t be an ice storm for anybody. As far as the synoptics of the situation and the next few days go, there are no real changes. The long-lasting passage of the low pressure system takes place, and yes I still expect it to drop as much as 4-8 inches of snow (leaning toward the lower side of the range) in a large portion of the region with under 4 inches in southern NH and north central MA and possibly the islands south of Cape Cod, and then we see it exit by early Saturday, although some instability will mean additional passing clouds and maybe a snow flurry during Saturday, otherwise expect a dry weekend, on the cold side, with a gusty wind Saturday and a much calmer Sunday as high pressure arrives. But we’re not done with the active pattern just yet, and quickly comes another round of unsettled weather on Monday, but this time it will be from a fast-moving but more compact low pressure area, with a little milder air around, so we’ll probably be dealing with a snow/mix/rain situation, not too heavy, and we’ll have to wait until we’re a bit closer to the event for precipitation-type details. After all, that is day 5 of this forecast.
THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING: Overcast with periodic to frequent snow, except mixed with sleet at times South Coast and islands and possibly rain for a time Nantucket. Temperatures generally steady 27-34. Snowfall accumulation 4 to 8 inches except 2 to 4 inches islands and north central MA to southwestern NH. Wind N to NE 5-15 MPH.
FRIDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow showers. Lows 20-27. Wind N to NW 10-20 MPH.
SATURDAY: Sun/cloud mix. Risk of a few passing light snow showers. Highs 27-34. Wind NW 10-20 MPH, higher gusts.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Clearing. Lows 12-19. Wind NW 5-15 MPH, diminishing.
SUNDAY: Mostly sunny. Highs 28-35. Wind NW up to 10 MPH morning, becoming variable.
SUNDAY NIGHT: Increasing clouds. Lows 18-25. Wind variable under 10 MPH.
MONDAY: Cloudy. Snow/mix/rain likely. Highs 35-42. Wind variable 5-15 MPH.
DAYS 6-10 (FEBRUARY 23-27)
High pressure moves in with fair and slightly milder weather middle of next week before low pressure brings the next unsettled weather threat later in the week.
DAYS 11-15 (FEBRUARY 28 – MARCH 4)
Fairly zomal pattern but may tilt more to a northwesterly flow after a quiet ending to February. The early days of March may feature a vigorous disturbance followed by a shot of cold air, but this is low confidence at this time.