forecast

New Year's Storm May Bring Rain, Snow for Some

A storm headed for New England will bring rain and snow showers by New Year's, with the chance of snow increasing the further north you go

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Although high temperatures may hit 50 degrees Monday in a few southern New England communities, lots of clouds and a steady breeze will ensure we never feel quite that warm.

Nonetheless, when a threatening sky drops only a few bits of precipitation around midday to early afternoon, it’s likely they will be in the form of sprinkles, not flurries for southern New England.

Northern New England is different in a few regards; it's cooler, there are more showers and, therefore, has a combination of snow and rain. Light accumulation could create a coating to 1” in higher terrain by day’s end, though valleys likely will only see a mix of raindrops and snowflakes with little accumulation. 

After some clearing Monday evening, with relatively mild air lingering for central and southern New England, a cold front crosses from northwest to southeast overnight. This will deliver scattered clouds and perhaps a flurry. More importantly, it will shift the wind to blow from the west and northwest into Tuesday.

The new wind direction means a flow of new air – colder air from Canada -- will hold Tuesday's high temperatures in the 30s south and 20s north. Wind chill values will make it feel some ten degrees colder with an unrelenting wind through the day and into the evening.

The cold air will be dry air, so flurries should be the worst of the weather. Tuesday and Wednesday dawns with sun but ends with clouds as a new storm center moves across the Great Lakes. 

Like its predecessors of late, this storm will cut into southern Canada, putting New England on the warm side of its counter-clockwise wind circulation. This means that when showers arrive New Year’s Day, they’ll be mostly rain, save for some mixed showers in the North Country.

Today: Mostly cloudy, chance sprinkle, mixed showers Northern New England. Highs in the 40s. Tonight: Clearing, then chance flurry late. Lows around 30. Tuesday: A chilly breeze with clouds & sun, chance flurry. Highs in the 30s, wind chill 20s.

If the timing works out, as it looks now, showers would draw to a close in time for New Year’s Eve from dusk onward – not that it matters too much for most in the pandemic! 

New Year’s Day should dawn cool and dry, but a new approaching storm arrives sometime in the second half of the day. When the storm first arrives it will run into our lingering cool air, potentially causing a burst of snow for some. The farther north one is, the longer the burst of Friday snow could last.

Though it’s too early to speak to amounts, the best chance of accumulating snow will unquestionably be in northern New England. A developing east and southeast wind will likely carry enough warmth into southern and eastern areas for rain. 

Regardless, Saturday showers will come to an end with moderate air ahead of a new shot of cool and dry conditions expected to span from Sunday into the first half of next week in our exclusive First Alert 10-day forecast.

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