After a damp start Tuesday, it will be mostly cloudy and cool, but not too cold, Tuesday. The temperature was at or below freezing in most of Southern New England at dawn, and the ice scraper was required if your car was left outside overnight. There were also some slippery untreated roads and sidewalks to contend with. Highs Tuesday will be in the mid 30s inland, and near 40 from the coast to the I-95 corridor. The temperature will not drop much Tuesday night. It will hold in the low to mid 30s with plenty of clouds and the chance of a few passing rain showers. While Tuesday is a fairly quiet day in the Northeast, it will be very active in the South. A much higher than normal threat of severe weather exists in the Southern states, centered on Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Wednesday will be the mildest day since a week ago Sunday, with the temperature climbing from the 30s in the morning to the 50s by the evening. It does not look like a particularly nice day, however, with a lot of clouds and an increasing southerly wind. Some patchy fog is likely near the coast with the mild air coming in off of the chilly ocean. A few renegade showers may pop up ahead of the strong cold front that will bring heavier rain Wednesday night. It is the same front that may produce severe weather in the South on Tuesday.
Wednesday night looks wet, windy, and very mild. The temperature by midnight should be in the 50s throughout most of Southeastern New England, but the mild air will be accompanied by howling winds, especially near the coast, and some heavy downpours. Some wind gusts over 50 mph are possible near the coast and at high elevations. The system will be packing so much energy that a few thunderstorms can’t be ruled out! January has been a fairly dry month, but this system has the potential to bring more than an inch of rain in less than 12 hours.
