Monday was a prime example of how colder than normal is not necessarily terrible in mid-March. Even though the temperature struggled to reach the normal 46° high, it was still pretty nice outside in the afternoon. The good news is it will be even milder on Tuesday. The bad news is part of Wednesday looks rainy followed by much colder weather and the chance of snow showers on Thursday.
A weak disturbance will move through Northern New England Monday night. It will spread some clouds into Southern New England, but it should stay mainly dry in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Southeastern Massachusetts. It will not be a very cold night, with lows in the mid 30s.
Sunshine will break through on Tuesday, and with a 10 mph westerly breeze the temperature should reach the low to mid 50s. Clouds will increase Tuesday night as a storm approaches from the west. The low temperature will be in the 30s.
It looks like the storm will track over Southern New England on Wednesday, putting most of Southern New England on the mild and showery side of the storm. The temperature will jump into the mid to upper 40s with an east-southeasterly breeze. Rain showers will develop around midday, and they will continue through the evening. The temperature may reach the low 50s near the coast Wednesday night.
As the storm passes, much colder weather will arrive on Thursday. The temperature will nosedive through the 30s into the 20s by mid-morning Thursday. Snow showers and flurries may linger through midday Thursday, especially in Eastern Massachusetts. There could be a dusting to an inch of snow, with the best chance of seeing an inch closer to Boston than Providence.
It will stay very cold Thursday night. Skies will clear, and the temperature will fall into the low to mid teens by dawn on Friday. Friday afternoon will be partly to mostly sunny with highs in the mid 30s. The early outlook for the weekend is for skies to become partly sunny on Saturday, with highs near 50, and partly to mostly sunny on Sunday, with highs in the low 40s.
