Good afternoon everyone, We continue to forecast a wintry mix of precipitation to move across the region early Thursday morning, impacting the morning commute. Temperatures will rise through the day, so the snow/sleet/freezing rain will change to rain from south to north by around midday. A *Winter Weather Advisory* continues for most of the region, except southern Rhode Island and south coastal Massachusetts, beginning at 1 AM Thursday morning. As temperatures slowly rise through the day, the advisory will end from SE to NW, lingering across NW Massachusetts through around 10 PM Thursday night. A second stronger storm will approach by Thursday night, bringing rain across most of the region. Heavy rain will fall across the region. Pockets of street and poor drainage flooding are likely, especially across north central and northeast Connecticut, Rhode Island and from the Boston to Providence corridor south and east to Cape Cod and the islands. Expect temperatures to remain in the lower-mid 30s across northern Massachusetts and the higher terrain, but there is a low risk for some ice accretion across the higher terrain through Thursday night into Friday morning. Here are the details for the two events that will impact the region: *1) Late Tonight through Thursday afternoon.* *What/When/Where: * - Precipitation starts as snow across western areas by around 1 AM, reaching the east coast by 4 AM Thursday morning. The snow will then mix with sleet and freezing rain across S coastal areas by 4 to 5 AM, which will lift northward during the morning commute. - The wintry mix should change to rain from NE Connecticut to Rhode Island and up to the Route 128 beltway by late Thursday morning. Sleet and freezing rain will linger into early afternoon across parts of interior MA & N central CT before changing to rain by late afternoon across the higher terrain. - Rain will linger into Thursday evening. *Potential Snow/Ice Accumulations: * - Snow and sleet accumulations from a coating to 2 inches are expected. The best chance of seeing an inch or two of snow and sleet will be north of the Massachusetts Turnpike. - Ice accretion on the order of a few hundredths to one tenth of an inch are expected for much of southern New England *Impacts/Uncertainty: * - High confidence continues that the wintry mix will occur during the Thursday morning rush hour, despite relatively light amounts of snow and ice. - Confident that most of the region will be above freezing by late Thursday afternoon, except the highest terrain of the Berkshires and northern Worcester Hills which should change to rain Thursday evening. *2) Thursday night and Friday Event:* *Potential Impacts / Uncertainty:* *- *This stronger storm will bring an area of heavy rain across the region, with rain amounts up to 1.5 to 2.5 inches. This may result in some street and poor drainage flooding, with the best chance occurring across northeast Connecticut, Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts where the highest amounts will fall late Thursday night to midday Friday. - There is a small chance that temperatures may remain around or just below freezing across the interior Thursday night and Friday morning bringing a prolonged period of light freezing rain. - Rain changes to snow Friday afternoon and early evening with a few inches of accumulation possible in the interior, likely less than an inch elsewhere. Highest risk for light snow accumulations will be across northern Massachusetts. If you have any questions or would like more information, don't hesitate to contact us via this email address, on NWSChat <https://nwschat.weather.gov/>, or at the following: National Weather Service Boston/Norton, MA 46 Commerce Way Norton, MA 02766 508.622.3280 Website <http://www.weather.gov/boston> | Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/NWSBoston> | Twitter <http://www.twitter.com/NWSBoston>
