We’ve turned the pattern with days of drought behind us, as wet weather has been more common as of late. This week will be one of the wetter weeks we’ve had since early summer.
Two approaching systems will bring the threat of showers first Monday early evening, and then again mid-week.
Monday's wet (and snowy) weather
The wet weather will tend to be more late afternoon, and fairly quick moving. PWATs (Precipitable WATer) are generally up to 1 inch, so the threat of widespread downpours isn’t as great. We expect the rain to start shortly before 4 p.m. and taper off around midnight.
In its wake, lingering moisture will mean spots of fog and cold in the Merrimack Valley, with areas along and north of Route 2 experiencing slick patches of ice and snow. The forecast only calls for up to an inch of snow, and while that’s not typically enough to cause damage, the freezing fog will compound the issue and reduce visibility on the roads.
So the Tuesday morning commute will be tricky to navigate. Snowfall should start in line with the rain around 2 or 3 p.m. through Vermont and the Berkshires and taper off around 1 a.m. through the mid-Merrimack Valley.
Mid-week warmth and wet weather
Local
During the middle of the week, a new storm system from the south will bring widespread rain, downpours and gusty winds on Wednesday.
As it stands right now, scattered showers are likely during the morning ride, but the afternoon and evening won’t be easy going. We’re in a First Alert for the day, as hours of heavy rain are expected to ramp up around 10 a.m. and progress into the evening. Given the higher humidity and warmer air from the south, thunderstorms are possible, especially at the coast.
A gusty southwest wind will blow in air from the Gulf of Mexico and keep temperatures in the upper 50s and low 60s that day. The storm should clear Thursday morning and temperatures will drop throughout the day. Starting in the upper 50s, hanging in the 40s midday, and dropping into the 20s for Thursday evening.
Near-record rainfall
The potency of Wednesday’s rain will be beneficial in helping with the drought. Yes that’s still very much a factor, even in the colder days ahead of us. Nearly 30% of Massachusetts is in extreme drought. We’ll see a trend in the right direction come Thursday – and this week’s rain will be a part of that.
Monday evening’s rain will bring around 0.5 inches in the area, and Wednesday’s rain will bring another 1.5-2 inches. Not only would this be among one of the wetter days of the year, but could be record breaking for the day.
The stormy pattern turns windy and frigid again by the end of the week. Gusty northwest winds on Thursday will pick up to 30-40 mph, and drop temperatures too. We’ll hover around freezing for highs on Friday and Saturday.
