DAYS 1-5 (FEBRUARY 10-14)
A clipper-low will slide east southeastward rapidly today and tonight, with the low center passing just north of our area – across northern New England – during this evening, while it is maturing and its warm front / cold front combo is in the process of occluding (when the cold front catches up to the warm front starting at the low center and progressing away from it). One band of snow will move across our region ahead of the warm front / occlusion, with a second, slightly heavier band of precipitation along the cold front / occlusion. It looks like the occluding part of the frontal boundaries will cross southern NH and northern MA, while southern MA and CT /RI get briefly into the warm sector behind the warm front and ahead of the cold front before the latter passes through those areas. The further north you are, the less break (or no break) you will see between the snow areas with the two fronts. The further south you are, the shorter snow period number 1 will be, and the second period will come also in a somewhat shorter burst that will be mixed with rain the closer to the South Coast and Cape Cod you are, due to the brief intrusion of warmer air that occurs in those location. As expected, the accumulation of snow with this system will reflect what I just described. I’m looking for only a coating to 1 inch along the South Coast, 1 to 3 inches from a Providence RI / Hartford CT line northward with closer to 1 inch favored the further south you are and a build up the further north you go, and finally 3 to 5 inches north of Route 2 from far north central MA across southern NH into northeastern MA, with most areas toward the lower side of this range while the maximum amounts occur in a rather small zone from south central NH (Manchester / Concord area) to the NH Seacoast and northern Essex County MA. This precipitation event will end from northwest to southeast across the WHW forecast area from about 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. During the overnight hours into the daytime hours of Wednesday, the low pressure area will redevelop offshore to the east of New England, and as it moves away, the old low pressure area to the north will transform into an inverted trough behind the new low pressure center, and as the latter’s center intensifies and heads toward Atlantic Canada, it will pull the inverted trough southward around the back side of its circulation. It is this trough that will then bring the chance of snow showers to southeastern NH and eastern MA Wednesday evening. This part of the event looks slightly less impressive on short range guidance than it did 24 hours ago, however the opportunity does exist, and anybody who experiences a snow shower could see a minor additional accumulation of snow and briefly low visibility. Thursday’s weather will be blustery and seasonably chilly with a fair amount of clouds mixed with some sun as our area sits underneath the western side of upper level low pressure and in a northwesterly air flow behind the departed low pressure area which will by then be a larger storm in Atlantic Canada, while a high pressure area builds across the Ohio Valley. That high, while passing to our south, does nose northeastward enough to result in more sun and less wind on Friday, which despite being a seasonably chilly day as well, will feel less cold than Thursday now to the noticeably-increasing sun angle as we enter mid February. On Saturday, I’m watching a small but potent disturbance dropping southeastward out of Canada that will drag a cold front our way and bring the chance of some passing snow showers that day.
TODAY: Sunshine fades behind increasing clouds. Highs 27-34. Wind SW up to 10 MPH.
TONIGHT: Overcast evening with snow likely, however a brief break in precipitation especially I-90 belt southward, and some rain mixed in late evening along the South Coast. Snow and South Coast mix ends northwest to southeast late evening into overnight followed by breaking clouds. Lows 23-30. Wind variable up to 10 MPH.
WEDNESDAY: Variably cloudy. Highs 30-37. Wind NW to N 5-15 MPH with higher gusts.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Variably cloudy. Chance of snow showers southeastern NH and eastern MA evening. Lows 13-20. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.
THURSDAY: Variably cloudy. Highs 27-34. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.
THURSDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy. Lows 12-19. Wind NW 5-15 MPH.
FRIDAY: Mostly sunny. Highs 28-35. Wind NW to W 5-15 MPH.
FRIDAY NIGHT: Mostly clear. Lows 13-20. Wind W to SW up to 10 MPH.
SATURDAY: Sun / cloud mix. Chance of snow showers. Highs 30-37. Wind SW 5-15 MPH with higher gusts, shifting to NW.
DAYS 6-10 (FEBRUARY 15-19)
Watching the period from late February 15 through February 16 for potential impact from low pressure. Track of storm system is uncertain, but currently leaning toward a graze or miss as it passes to the south. Fair, seasonably cold weather follows for February 17-19.
DAYS 11-15 (FEBRUARY 20-24)
A couple disturbances passing through triggering some up-and-down temperatures and minor precipitation threats, but no major storminess is indicated during this period. A stronger shot of cold air may arrive at the very end of the period.