Good afternoon. Massachusetts. I'm Jack O'Malley.
Folks, that snow falling outside your window right now? It's about to pull a fast one on you. A Winter Weather Advisory runs statewide until 5 A.M. Wednesday. And the real danger isn't the snow. It's what comes next.
In the next 24 hours. Here's what's going on up in the atmosphere. A low pressure system is shoving warm air overhead while cold air stays locked at the surface. That collision is a recipe for freezing rain. We've already picked up seven tenths of an inch of snow. Around 7 P.M., everything flips to freezing rain. Then plain rain overnight.
Out in the Berkshires, you're sitting at 26 degrees. That's where ice accumulation gets serious. Cover those steps. Salt those walkways. Push east toward Worcester and you're at 29 degrees. Still slick territory. Boston and the coast hover right at 32 degrees. That razor's edge between ice and just wet.
Wednesday morning brings patchy fog, then sunshine muscles through. Highs climb into the upper 40s east, low 50s central. About 26 degrees above normal. Your reward for surviving tonight.
But Thursday throws another curveball. Rain arrives, then cold air sneaks south Thursday night. North of the Mass Pike, that rain changes to sleet and freezing rain. Again. Friday feels raw. Highs stuck in the mid 30s.
Now the plot twist worth waiting for. Southwest flow arrives this weekend. Saturday hits the low 50s. Sunday pushes near 60. By early next week, some spots could touch 63 degrees. That kind of warmth melts snowpack fast, so keep an eye on low lying areas near streams.
One last thing. Tonight's full moon rises at sunset. If those clouds crack open even briefly, it'll turn that icy landscape into something gorgeous. Worth a glance out the window.
Charge your phone tonight and keep a flashlight handy. Ice and power lines don't play nice together.
For the extended outlook, check the latest forecast as confidence improves.
That's your forecast — we'll be back tomorrow.