Not only was the air Friday morning cold enough for ocean-effect and ocean-enhanced snow showers – clouds and snow showers that develop when the wind blows cold air across relatively warm ocean waters and those snow showers follow the wind flow – but New England Friday morning took the title as coldest location in the nation.
With a morning low temperature of -34 degrees Fahrenheit, Big Black River, Maine, bested not only every other New England community, but as best as our First Alert Weather Team can tell, every location in the nation, including Alaska. Not far behind was Island Pond, Vermont, with a low of -32 degrees, followed by Pittsburg, New Hampshire, at -28 degrees.
When we consider forecast highs Friday afternoon in these communities of 15 to 25 degrees above zero, that’s a pretty remarkable recovery! Farther south, the cold air made for plenty of single digit morning temperatures and the ocean-enhanced snow showers from the South Shore of Massachusetts onto Cape Cod haven’t accumulated more than a dusting but have slightly reduced visibility, put snowflakes in the air, and will disintegrate by early afternoon.
Clear sky is expected for one and all Friday night with low temperatures not as cold as Friday morning, but still dipping into the single digits north and teens to 20s south as a weak warm front moves from west to east, turning the wind to blow from the southwest. The southwest wind couples with sun Saturday to bump temperatures above the melting point for nearly everyone and 40s in southern New England, though that same wind will contribute to at least a slight wind chill in the 30s.
Ski, snowmobile and ice fishing conditions in the Lakes and Mountains of northern New England will all be terrific this weekend with goggles or sunglasses a necessary accessory and sunscreen not a bad idea, while most of southern New England is snow-free or pretty close to it, making temperatures around 50 degrees perfect for taking the kids to the playground, driving golf balls or exercising outside, with snow melted off the side of the roads even favorable for bicyclists!
The weather stays mild early next week but finally, after several days, a new storm approaches from the west. This should mean clouds increasing later Monday and showers setting in Tuesday and Wednesday.
Right now, we’re uncertain just how quickly colder air returns next Wednesday or Thursday to New England, but that timing will be important to determine both when the showers come to an end, and how much if any snow they would end as.
U.S. & World
Right now, there’s not much evidence this will be a lot different from recent storms – perhaps an unceremonious smattering of snow showers south with the chance for something more meaningful north, where cold air will be so stubborn that even some of the Tuesday or Wednesday showers may fall as snowflakes.
Next weekend looks chilly and dry in our exclusive First Alert 10-day forecast.
