11:00 PM
After a Saturday night & Sunday morning snowstorm, which dropped generally 3 to 6 inches of snow on the Boston area, more in some areas to the north, we are about to get hit with another storm for the final day of February on Monday. The air remains quite cold behind the weekend storm system, and with warm air coming in above us, the setup for icing is there. Fortunately, I think that the main precipitation will not reach eastern MA and southern NH until mid morning, with only some freezing drizzle before that. This should spare the region significant icing. However, with some freezing drizzle possible, any untreated surfaces may become slick for a while.
The low pressure area responsible for the stormy Monday will track northeastward across central New England by late Monday afternoon or early Monday evening. There will be a sharp contrast in temperatures, much like Friday’s storm, but a bit further north this time. Temperatures may reach or exceed 50 in areas to the south of Boston, and this warmer air may briefly get into the Boston area as well. To the north, temperatures will reach the upper 30s to lower 40s.
The heaviest precipitation Monday should be in the form of rain in most of the region from MA into southern NH, at the end of the morning through early afternoon. After this, rain will become more spotty, though there will be some heavier showers around and even a risk of thunder as the low center moves through.
When we get to Monday night, the last of the rain, including some heavier showers and possible thunderstorms, will be occurring south of Boston through the Cape Cod area, but all of this will slide offshore by late evening. Colder air will flow in behind the departing storm. A disturbance dropping southward from northern New England may kick off a few snow showers later at night, along with strong, gusty winds. These winds will continue into Tuesday morning before diminishing during the afternoon as high pressure builds over the region. Tuesday will be a bright day with wall to wall sunshine.
High pressure will push east of the region on Wednesday, and a disturbance approaching from the west will spread clouds into the region. This disturbance will push through the region Wednesday night with a few rain and snow showers possible. Even a brief squall of snow, or rain changing to snow, may occur in the evening. Behind this disturbance, a shot of cold/windy weather will last from very late Wednesday night through Thursday. Dry weather will dominate the region on Thursday.
Expect a bright but more tranquil day on Friday, but with a very cold start followed by a milder afternoon as high pressure cresting over the region begins to slide to the east later in the day. Things try to get a little more complicated as we move into the weekend. There are some uncertainty on timing of the next approaching weather system, being so far away. But for the moment, I am leaning toward a slowing of the progressing of weather systems, allowing us to get through most of next weekend storm-free, with milder temperatures.
Detailed Boston area forecast…
TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Patchy freezing drizzle possible near the coast. Scattered areas of fog. Lows ranging from the upper 10s in the Merrimack Valley to the upper 20s along the coast south of Boston. Wind light northeast to east.
MONDAY: Overcast. Freezing drizzle possible in all areas early with some icy spots possible. Rain developing from southwest to northeast in the morning, and may begin as freezing rain and sleet away from the coast before changing to plain rain by late morning, lastly in the Merrimack Valley & southern NH. Rain may be heavy at times late morning to early afternoon, then becoming more showery but still locally heavy for the rest of the afternoon. Some thunder is possible in heavier periods of rain. Highs ranging from the upper 30s to lower 40s across southern NH and the Merrimack Valley to the lower and middle 50s in areas south of Boston. Wind east to southeast 5 to 15 mph, may shift to southwest for a while near and south of Boston, gusting over 20 mph.
MONDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy through 1:00 AM with any lingering rain or showers mainly near and south of Boston coming to an end, and a chance of a few snow showers 10:00 PM to 1:00 AM. Clearing following. Lows in the upper 10s to lower 20s. Wind west 10 to 20 mph with higher gusts.
TUESDAY: Sunny. High in the upper 30s. Wind northwest 10 to 20 mph but gusting over 30 mph.
TUESDAY NIGHT: Mostly clear. Low ranging from near 10 in deeper valleys to the middle 20s along the coast. Wind light variable.
WEDNESDAY: Mostly cloudy. High in the lower 40s. Wind south 5 to 15 mph.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy with a few rain and snow showers. Low in the upper 20s. Wind southwest 10 to 20 mph with higher gusts shifting to northwest.
THURSDAY: Mostly sunny. High in the middle 30s.
FRIDAY: Partly cloudy. High in the lower 40s.