A storm that started as mild rain will end with wind-whipped snow showers Thursday morning as much colder air charges in on a strong northwesterly wind late Wednesday night. Rain will continue Wednesday evening, and there may even be a thunderstorm around midnight as the strong cold front passes and the wind shifts to the northwest. The temperature will fall from the mid 40s to low 50s late in the evening to the mid to upper 20s by dawn. There will not be any heavy precipitation late at night, but it may stay damp enough that the ground does not dry before the temperature plummets.
Snow showers are possible from 3-5 am through the morning. It’s unlikely that there will be more than a coating, but combined falling temperatures, black ice and snow showers could lead to a slick Thursday morning commute. The temperature will continue to tumble through the 20s into the teens inland. There will be a 15-25 mph sustained northwest wind with the potential for 40-50 mph gusts. The wind chill will be in the single digits. Skies will become partly cloudy in the afternoon with the snow threat ending around noon.
It will be clear and very cold Thursday night. Lows will be in the low to mid teens with a diminishing wind. Friday looks decent, but cool for mid-March. Highs will be in the mid to upper 30s with partly to mostly sunny skies.
A cold front will move through on Saturday, but the cold weather will lag behind the front, and the temperature should reach the mid 40s to around 50 with partly to mostly cloudy skies. A few stray rain showers cannot be ruled out in the morning. It will turn cooler and stay dry on Sunday. Highs will be in the low 40s with mostly sunny skies.
Looking ahead to next week, winter may return with the chance of snow on Monday, and possibly again later in the week. The first system on Monday will move off the Southeastern United States coast. It is unclear if it will come far enough north to bring accumulating snow to Southern New England, but it definitely bears watching.
