We continue to forecast a wintry mess, especially for the Tuesday afternoon into evening commute to which we expect a considerable, potentially high impact. Please see the attached slides detailing amounts and timing of anticipated threats, while details concerning impacts and uncertainty are provided below.
What has changed ...
- WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES issued for Northern Connecticut from 7 am Tuesday to 7 am Wednesday. WINTER STORM WATCH continues for all of Massachusetts but southeastern areas including Cape Cod and the Islands.
- GALE WATCHES issued for the outer waters of Southern New England late afternoon Tuesday into early morning Wednesday
What / Where / When ...
- Onset snow transitioning to a wintry mix of mostly sleet to freezing rain across interior Southern New England, while along the coast, transitioning to sleet before mixing with and changing over to rain.
- Beginning around noon Tuesday, ending early- to mid-morning Wednesday.
- Biggest concern are the impacts for the Tuesday afternoon into evening commute.
- Hazardous travel conditions with slick roadways, especially if left untreated. Reductions in visibility with any snow and / or sleet.
- Potential for snowfall rates of around 1" / hour for a brief period before mixing with sleet.
- Less impact to the Wednesday AM commute, however can't rule out some lingering icy roadways across interior MA & CT.
Uncertainty ...
- Continued challenges in exact transition timing of precipitation types for any one particular location, as well as subsequent outcomes & impacts (i.e., should the transition to rain occur sooner than forecast).
- Snow and ice amounts could differ depending how fast warm air moves in Tuesday evening into Tuesday night.
Briefings will continue to follow leading up to the event with each forecast package, roughly 4 am and 4 pm. In the meantime, should you have any questions, comments and/or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at any time.
Respectfully,
Benjamin Sipprell
Meteorologist
NWS Boston / Norton
If you have any questions or would like more information, don't hesitate to contact us via this email address, on NWSChat, or at the following:
National Weather Service Boston/Norton, MA
46 Commerce Way