Sub-Freezing Start on First Day of Winter

Not as cold of a start, but certainly sub-freezing across the region this morning. If you’re reading this before 10:59 a.m., then you’re still in autumn. After that, it’s winter….and the shortest days will soon be behind us.

Always odd how that works, isn’t it? Solstices are funny things, but there’s rhyme to the reason. There’s typically a month-long lag between the shortest (longest) days and the coldest (warmest) temperatures, so it stands to reason that the temporal boundaries are set in that manner. But we also know how things really work, and that the weather knows no season.

Onto the next weather event. After a quiet day today, we’re seeing a storm system cruise up from the south. While this isn’t a direct hit, it will be close enough for some light icing and rain for the first half of Wednesday.

It’s not an ideal setup for the morning ride, but we’re thinking some light icing could be on tap very early in the morning from MetroWest to Worcester, then spreading from outermost Rt. 2 into the Merrimack Valley and southern New Hampshire. It’s wet in Boston and on the North/South Shores. By afternoon, much of this will be pulling away, allowing a bit of sun to streak through before it sets.

Our next weather maker is a super weak (but pleasantly gentle) batch of light snow that may zip through on Christmas Eve (day). A coating to as much as 1” is possible with this “festive feature.” This is the lead up to another weather system on Saturday.

This one is a little more interesting. Although it would take a Christmas miracle to get all snow out of it, there’s a small chance it could. Blocking over the Gaspe Peninsula is keeping this storm from hoisting a lot of mild air over us. That blocking will keep the track of the storm right overhead, likely giving us a mix, but keeping us on our toes through the week. We’re certain there may be *some* travel impacts, so check back for updates as the week rolls on.

Enjoy the holiday season!