DAYS 1-5 (JANUARY 15-19)
Very little wind allowed low level moisture to hang around overnight with lots of clouds, but the temperature slipping below freezing in many locations has resulted in some black ice formation where surfaces did not dry off from yesterday’s precipitation, so be aware of that if venturing outside this morning! As the morning goes on we will see the temperature rise sufficiently to eliminate this problem, and enough dry air work in from a small high pressure area to the north of us to bring some sun today. A broad area of low pressure moving into the Great Lakes will send an occluding frontal system our way on which a new low will form and move over the region Saturday morning and midday. This will result in a solid area of rainfall, not that wide, but moderate to heavy, moving across the region from the pre-dawn hours to the midday hours of Saturday, before a dry slot moves in during the afternoon to put an end to the wet weather. A period of moderate and gusty southeasterly winds will take place with the rainfall, so driving will be a little bit of a challenge Saturday morning before conditions improve. A drier, colder westerly wind will evolve after the low’s passage, and snow showers will be occurring in the mountains to our west with only the slight chance that a few of them survive in snow flurry form into the WHW forecast area Saturday night. Expect a dry and chilly day Sunday with a gusty westerly breeze, and similar conditions for Monday, Dr. MLK Jr. Day, with the addition of a snow or rain shower risk a low pressure trough moves across the region. Another small area of high pressure should provide fair and chilly weather Tuesday.
TODAY: Sun and cloud mix. Highs 38-45. Wind N up to 10 MPH.
TONIGHT: Clouds thicken. Rain arrives west to east toward dawn. Lows 30-37 evening, rising toward 40 overnight. Wind variable to S up to 10 MPH evening, increasing to 5-15 MPH with higher gusts coastal areas overnight.
SATURDAY: Overcast into midday with rain, possibly heavy at times. Breaking clouds with scattered to isolated rain showers in the afternoon. Highs 45-52. Wind SSE 10-20 MPH inland and 20-30 MPH coast with gusts 35-45 MPH morning, shifting to SW 5-15 MPH midday then W 10-20 MPH with higher gusts again later in the day.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Variably cloudy. A passing snow shower possible, mainly west and north of Boston. Lows 25-32. Wind W 15-25 MPH and gusty.
SUNDAY: Sun and passing clouds. Highs 35-42. Wind NW to W 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.
SUNDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy. Lows 20-27. Wind W 5-15 MPH.
MONDAY (DR. MLK JR. DAY): Variably cloudy. Chance of snow and rain showers. Highs 34-41. Wind W 10-20 MPH.
MONDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy. Lows 22-29. Wind W 5-15 MPH.
TUESDAY: Partly cloudy. Highs 33-40. Wind W 5-15 MPH.
DAYS 6-10 (JANUARY 20-24)
What we know: Blocking pattern continues. What we don’t know for sure: Day-to-day details. Best guess on sensible weather: Best storm chance January 22-23, but may be a smaller system if one forms ahead of it offshore on January 20, which is quite possible. This could result in the second system being weaker and further south. Still much to iron out.
DAYS 11-15 (JANUARY 25-29)
Biggest question here: Status of blocking pattern – does it stay in place, weaken, or break down? Still working on that. Because of this uncertainty and normal uncertainty at medium range, can’t get detailed, but can say that expected indices are more indicative of near to below normal temperatures and leaning slightly drier versus stormy at this time.