Winter may not officially begin until December 21, but Massachusetts is already getting an early taste of it this week as a surge of Arctic air drives temperatures sharply lower.
According to AccuWeather meteorologists, a strengthening storm system and an influx of cold air will deliver December-like temperatures to much of the eastern U.S. through the weekend and into next week. The storm, moving across the Northwest, is expected to pull frigid air south from Canada into the Northeast, said AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Expert Paul Pastelok.
“This will be the first taste of wintry weather for millions, with a dramatic temperature drop and blustery winds,” Pastelok explained. “Temperatures will feel more like mid-December or even Christmastime in many places next week.”
How Cold Will It Get in Massachusetts?
AccuWeather predicts that temperatures could plunge into the single digits, teens, and 20s across parts of the Northeast. Higher elevations in Massachusetts may even experience early snowfall.
The National Weather Service in Norton forecasts Thursday’s low temperatures in the 30s, with a brief warming trend expected over Friday through Sunday before the chill returns. Lows are projected to fall back into the 30s by Monday.
AccuWeather also warns that a period of heavy rain will sweep through the Northeast from this weekend into early next week.
“There may be a secondary storm that forms along the leading edge of the cold air in the East,” Pastelok added, noting it could bring a band of snow stretching from the Appalachians northward.
What’s Ahead for Winter in Massachusetts?
While the Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts a “mostly mild” winter for much of the U.S., Massachusetts should still expect several chilly and snowy spells.
The Almanac forecasts the snowiest periods for parts of the state in mid-November, early and mid-December, and early February. A snowstorm is projected to impact the region between November 9 and 11, with cold conditions preceding a brief warm-up the following week.
Boston could see its snowiest stretches in late December, early January, and late February. Long-range AccuWeather projections indicate that snowfall totals will likely exceed last winter’s amounts across much of the Northeast, including the Boston area.
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