Boston Braces for a Weekend of Snow and Biting Cold
Brace yourselves, Bostonians! A chilly and snowy weekend is on the horizon. This is the fourth weekend in a row that we're anticipating a winter weather situation.
Interestingly, the coldest days this winter have all been on either a Friday or Saturday. This weekend, the mercury is expected to hit rock bottom on Sunday.
Expectations for the Snowfall
Snow is expected to begin falling in the early hours of Saturday. This snowfall is predicted to be quite irregular. There will be times and places where the snow falls and builds up quickly, while other areas might only see a light fluttering of flurries, or perhaps no snow at all.
The majority of the snowfall is likely to occur during the daylight hours of Saturday, roughly between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. Roads that haven't been treated are likely to become covered in snow and slippery during this period.
The snow is expected to ease off by late Saturday afternoon, with only a few final snow showers lingering.
Snow Accumulation Predictions
The forecast predicts that most of southern New England will see an accumulation of 1 to 3 inches of snow. However, certain parts of eastern Massachusetts could see anywhere from 2 to 4 inches.
There is also the potential for some heavier snow bands to form, which could result in as much as 4 or 5 inches of snow in isolated areas.
Bracing for Extreme Cold and Wind
After the snow subsides on Saturday evening, the wind is expected to pick up significantly. Northwestern winds are anticipated to gust between 20 to 40 mph across southern New England from Saturday night into Sunday.
Throughout Sunday, the wind speeds are expected to decrease slightly, ranging between 20 to 30 mph. The combination of these gusty winds with the extremely cold air temperatures could result in wind chill factors of -20 to -10 degrees for most of Sunday.
Such conditions can lead to frostbite on exposed skin in less than 30 minutes. There's even a chance that we could see a record-breaking low maximum temperature on Sunday. Both Boston and Worcester are predicted to come within a few degrees of the current cold records set in the late 20th century.
Super Bowl Sunday Weather Update
As you settle down on your couch to cheer for our New England Patriots on Super Bowl Sunday, you can dream of the significantly warmer climate in California. On Sunday afternoon, the temperature difference between Boston and Santa Clara is expected to be around 50 degrees. It's anticipated to be a pleasant 65 degrees in Santa Clara, compared to a chilly 16 degrees in Boston.
When you factor in the wind chill, we're looking at a temperature difference of about 70 degrees. Stay warm, Boston!