We want to provide a heads up on the potential for hazardous weather Friday, Saturday night and Sunday. Low pressure is expected to track over southern New England or just offshore. Depending on the exact track, which will not be known for another day or two, the following impacts are possible:
Afternoon CHANGE: The Gale Watch from this morning has been converted to a Gale Warning. A Gale Warning is in effect for all waters for Friday through Saturday morning.
All other hazard outlooks from the earlier e-mail continue without change.
Interior Light Icing:
Locations: Western and central Massachusetts, possibly portions of northern Connecticut.
Timing: Wintry mix late Saturday night into early Sunday morning, changing to rain by afternoon.
Impact: Slippery travel
Uncertainty: Type of wintry precipitation and timing of the exact changeover. There could be little or no snow, and simply light freezing rain changing to rain during the morning, or a wintry mix of snow and freezing rain changing to rain. In either case, amounts should be light, on the order of up to one inch of snow and a light coating (up to 1/10") of ice.
Strong Winds:
Locations: Cape Cod and the Islands
Timing: Late Friday afternoon and especially Friday night.
Sustained Wind: W 25 to 35 mph.
Wind Gusts: Up to 45 mph.
Impact: Minor damage such as downed tree limbs. Perhaps Isolated power outages.
Uncertainty: Winds may increase earlier in the afternoon, possibly as soon as 2 PM.
Marine Impacts:
Locations: Massachusetts and Rhode Island coastal waters
Timing: Friday afternoon and Friday night, before winds diminish Saturday morning
Wind Gusts: W 35 to 40 knots.
Seas: 4 to 7 feet on the inner bays and sounds; 10 to 15 ft offshore.
Impact: Hazardous conditions for mariners.
Uncertainty: Winds may increase to Gale force earlier in the afternoon, possibly as soon as
2 PM.
Minor Coastal Flooding:
Locations: Eastern Massachusetts coast and possibly the South Coast
Timing: Monday morning high tide (5:41 AM at Providence, 8:45 AM at Boston, and 9:46 AM on Nantucket)
Storm Surge: 1.0 to 1.5 feet
Inundation: Less than 1 foot above ground level
Impact: Some vulnerable shoreline roads may become temporarily impassable around high tide.
Uncertainty: High. Timing of highest surge may not coincide with high tide, which would lead to little or no impact. Wind direction, which may favor either coast, will not be confidently known for a day or two. Minor coastal flooding would be the worst case scenario.
Additional email briefings will be sent as needed.