429  
FXUS61 KBOX 220319  
AFDBOX  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOSTON/NORTON MA  
1019 PM EST TUE JAN 21 2025  
   
SYNOPSIS  
 
AN ARCTIC AIRMASS WILL PERSIST THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT WITH  
MODERATING TEMPERATURES THURSDAY INTO THE WEEKEND ALTHOUGH STILL  
BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES. AN OCEAN STORM TRACKING WELL SOUTH  
OF NEW ENGLAND MAY BRING LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TO THE OUTER  
CAPE AND ISLANDS TONIGHT FOLLOWED BY CLEARING WEDNESDAY.  
GENERALLY DRY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED DURING THE END OF THE WEEK  
AND INTO NEXT WEEKEND, BUT WE WILL HAVE TO WATCH ANOTHER  
DISTANT OCEAN STORM THURSDAY NIGHT WHICH COULD BRING LIGHT SNOW  
TO SE NEW ENGLAND IF IT TRACKS FURTHER NORTH AND WEST.  
 
 
   
NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/  
 
1015 PM UPDATE...  
 
LIGHT SNOW HAS DEVELOPED ACROSS THE CAPE/ISLANDS BUT RATHER DRY  
AIR IN LOW LEVELS NOT ALLOWING THIS SNOW SHIELD TO PUSH MUCH  
FURTHER NORTHWARD. MAY SEE A FEW FLURRIES ALONG THE SOUTH COAST  
OF RI AND MA, OTHERWISE BEST CHANCE OF MINOR ACCUM OF AN INCH  
OR 2 WILL BE OVER THE OUTER CAPE AND NANTUCKET, WITH A COATING  
TO AN INCH ACROSS THE REST OF CAPE COD. SNOW WILL BE MOVING  
OFFSHORE 07-10Z.  
 
OTHERWISE, CLEARING HAS OVERSPREAD WESTERN MA AND THE CLEARING  
LINE WILL ADVANCE EASTWARD OVERNIGHT WITH SKIES CLEARING FROM NW  
TO SE. TEMPS HAVE PLUMMETED IN WESTERN MA WITH THE CLEARING AND  
LIGHT WINDS, WITH READINGS ALREADY ZERO TO -5F. EXPECT TEMPS TO  
FALL SHARPLY AFTER MIDNIGHT FURTHER E AS SKIES CLEAR. LOWS WILL  
RANGE FROM ZERO TO -10F ACROSS INTERIOR MA BUT LOCALLY AS COLD  
AS -10 TO -15F IN THE BERKSHIRES, WITH SINGLE NUMBERS ACROSS  
MUCH OF THE REST OF THE REGION.  
 
PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...  
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
* FRIGID EVENING TO EARLY MORNING TEMPERATURES WITH APPARENT  
TEMPS 5 TO 10 BELOW. COLD WEATHER ADVISORIES FOR THE  
BERKSHIRES WITH APPARENT TEMPERATURES FORECAST NEAR 15 TO 20  
BELOW ZERO.  
 
* MINOR (UP TO 2") SNOW ACCUMULATION FOR THE ISLANDS, WITH  
FLURRIES OR PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS AMOUNTING TO AN  
INCH OR SO FOR CAPE COD OVERNIGHT.  
 
MAIN CHANGE WITH THIS UPDATE WAS TO REDUCE POP OVER CAPE COD  
SOME, WHICH ALSO NATURALLY LED TO REDUCTIONS IN SNOW  
ACCUMULATIONS (WHICH WERE ALREADY ON THE LOW SIDE) FOR THE  
CAPE.  
 
EXPANSIVE SHIELD OF MIDLEVEL CLOUD COVER ON RATHER STRONG  
SWLY 500 MB FLOW AND MIDLEVEL MOISTURE ADVECTION AHEAD OF A  
SHORTWAVE DISTURBANCE COMING OUT OF THE ALLEGHANY MTNS IN WV.  
ALTHOUGH THE REGIONAL RADAR COMPOSITE SHOWS SOME ECHOES, THIS IS  
ALL SAMPLING MIDLEVEL CLOUD COVER WITH CURRENT RATHER LARGE  
TEMPERATURE-DEWPOINT SPREADS SOME 15-20 DEGREES. AS WINDS COME  
AROUND TO WNW LATE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT AND ALLOWS FOR  
LOWER DEWPOINTS TO ADVECT IN, IT'S NOT LIKELY WE'LL SATURATE  
ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR MUCH IN THE WAY OF PRECIP AT LEAST TO CAPE  
COD. IT COULD BE ENOUGH TO WRING OUT SOME FLURRIES IN BARNSTABLE  
COUNTY, BUT I'M NOT THINKING CONDITIONS ARE ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN  
PERSISTENT LIGHT SNOW. THE BEST CHANCE FOR MINOR ACCUMS LOOK TO  
BE CONFINED TO MVY/ACK OVERNIGHT, BUT THAT IS ALSO STILL A  
LITTLE UNCLEAR - IT'S NOT LIKELY TO BE ANY WORSE THAN A COUPLE  
INCHES.  
 
BUT OTHERWISE, THE LARGER STORY FOR THE REST OF SOUTHERN NEW  
ENGLAND IS THE FRIGID TEMPS. DIDN'T MAKE MANY CHANGES THERE WITH  
THE COLDEST READINGS EXPECTED OVER NORTHERN/NORTHWEST MA. AS WAS  
THE CASE LAST NIGHT, A FRESH SNOWPACK AT NIGHT REALLY HELPED TO  
BOTTOM OUT TEMPS AND SEE NO REASON THAT SHOULDN'T AGAIN BE THE  
CASE.  
 
 
   
SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/  
 
TOMORROW AND TOMORROW NIGHT  
 
KEY MESSAGES  
 
* BITTER COLD CONTINUES TOMORROW AND TOMORROW NIGHT  
 
ANY REMAINING SNOW OVER THE CAPE/ISLANDS TAPERS OFF OVER THE  
ATLANTIC SHORTLY AFTER SUNRISE. BITTER COLD CONTINUES TOMORROW WITH  
HIGH TEMPERATURES ONCE AGAIN SUPPRESSED TO THE UPPER TEENS/LOW 20S  
WITH A MODEST WEST/NORTHWEST BREEZING MAKING IT FEEL CLOSER TO  
SINGLE DIGIT TEMPERATURES FOR MOST. UNLIKE TODAY HOWEVER, THERE WILL  
BE ABUNDANT SUNSHINE WITH A BONE DRY ATMOSPHERE CHARACTERIZED BY  
PWATS AROUND A TENTH OF AN INCH OR LESS.  
 
A PATTERN CHANGE TAKES PLACE TOMORROW NIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE TO THE  
SOUTH SLIDES OFF THE EAST COAST SUPPORTING SOUTH/SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW  
AND WAA INTO SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. THIS WILL SUPPORT INCREASING  
CLOUD COVER TOMORROW NIGHT AND AN UPTICK IN 925 HPA TEMPS TO -10 TO -  
15C. WHILE STILL COLD, LOW TEMPS TOMORROW NIGHT AREN'T EXPECTED TO  
MEET ADVISORY CRITERIA ANYWHERE, BUT WILL STILL BE IN THE SINGLE  
DIGITS/LOW TEENS ACROSS THE REGION. A FEW LOCATIONS ACROSS THE  
INTERIOR WILL SEE WIND CHILLS FALL BELOW 0WHILE THE REST OF THE  
REGION WILL FEEL LIKE THE LOW TO HIGH SINGLE DIGITS.  
 
 
   
LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/  
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
* OTHER THAN PASSING SNOW SHOWERS THURS NIGHT/FRI AND POSSIBLY AGAIN  
ON SUN/SUN NIGHT, DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED.  
 
* RECOVERY IN TEMPS CLOSER TO SEASONABLE THURS, THEN COOLING OFF TO  
BELOW NORMAL LEVELS FRI AND SAT BEFORE REBOUNDING BACK TO  
NEAR/SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL FOR SUNDAY.  
 
* EARLY NEXT WEEK OUTLOOK FAVORS CONTINUED DRIER BUT COOLER THAN  
NORMAL WEATHER.  
 
DETAILS:  
 
SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND WILL BE ENTRENCHED IN WHAT IS CLIMATOLOGICALLY  
THE COLDEST PORTION OF THE CALENDAR YEAR DURING THIS FORECAST  
PERIOD.  
 
OVERALL THIS FORECAST PERIOD WILL BE GOVERNED BY THE NORTHERN STREAM  
OF A SPLIT-FLOW PATTERN AT 500 MB, WITH MEAN TROUGHING OVER THE  
CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN US AND A TROUGH/CLOSED LOW FEATURE OVER THE  
SOUTHWEST CONUS. THOUGH WE WILL HAVE A COUPLE OF PROGRESSIVE CLIPPER  
TYPE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS MOVING THROUGH DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME,  
ONE THURS NIGHT/FRI AND THE OTHER AROUND SUN/SUN NIGHT, BOTH OF  
THESE FEATURES APPEAR TO BE LACKING IN THE MOISTURE DEPARTMENT.  
OTHER THAN PASSING SNOW SHOWERS WITH EACH, THE MAIN EFFECT THESE  
CLIPPERS WOULD HAVE IS TO OFFER BRIEFLY ENHANCED CLOUDINESS WITH  
REINFORCING SHOTS OF SOMEWHAT COLDER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES IN  
THEIR WAKE. SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ARE NOT EXPECTED WITH EITHER OF  
THESE WAVES OF LOW PRESSURE, AND MUCH OF THE TIME SHOULD END UP  
BRING DRY.  
 
TEMPERATURES WILL START OFF "WARMING" UP THURS, WHICH IS REALLY JUST  
A REBOUND OUT OF THE FRIGID EARLY TO MIDWEEK, AND HIGHS SHOULD BE  
CLOSER TO SEASONABLE LEVELS WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 20S TO MID 30S  
AND LOWS IN THE 20S. PASSAGE OF THE FIRST CLIPPER SYSTEM THEN BRINGS  
A PERIOD OF COLDER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES (E.G. HIGHS MID 20S TO  
AROUND FREEZING WITH LOWS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS FRI NIGHT). BUT THIS  
SHOT OF COLD AIR DOES NOT LOOK TO BE NEARLY AS STOUT AS THE COLDER  
AIRMASS WORKING ITS WAY OVER SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND TODAY. WARMEST DAY  
OF THIS PERIOD THEN TAKES PLACE ON SUNDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE LOW TO  
MID 30S WITH SOME SUNSHINE AHEAD OF THE 2ND CLIPPER SYSTEM, WHICH  
THEN COOLS US OFF INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.  
 
 
   
AVIATION /03Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/  
 
FORECAST CONFIDENCE LEVELS:  
 
LOW - LESS THAN 30 PERCENT.  
MODERATE - 30 TO 60 PERCENT.  
HIGH - GREATER THAN 60 PERCENT.  
 
00Z TAF UPDATE:  
 
TONIGHT...HIGH CONFIDENCE  
 
VFR ACROSS THE INTERIOR WITH WINDS BECOMING LIGHT OUT OF THE  
WEST/NORTHWEST. -SN EXPECTED OVER ACK WITH PERIODS OF MVFR  
CEILINGS AND PERHAPS IFR VSBYS, ESPECIALLY AT ACK. EXPECT SNOW  
TO TAPER OFF BEFORE 12Z.  
 
TOMORROW....HIGH CONFIDENCE.  
 
VFR. NW WIND 5-15 KT.  
 
TOMORROW NIGHT...HIGH CONFIDENCE  
 
VFR. WINDS BECOMING LIGHT OUT OF THE WEST/SOUTHWEST.  
 
KBOS TAF...HIGH CONFIDENCE IN TAF.  
 
KBDL TAF...HIGH CONFIDENCE IN TAF.  
 
OUTLOOK /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...  
 
THURSDAY: VFR. BREEZY.  
 
THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT: VFR.  
 
SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY: VFR. BREEZY.  
 
 
   
MARINE  
 
FORECASTER CONFIDENCE LEVELS:  
 
LOW - LESS THAN 30 PERCENT.  
MEDIUM - 30 TO 60 PERCENT.  
HIGH- GREATER THAN 60 PERCENT.  
 
TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT...  
 
W WINDS 10-20 KT BECOMING NW-N LATER TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW. A  
FEW GUSTS OVER 20 KT POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY WED. ARCTIC  
AIRMASS WILL RESULT IN AREAS OF LIGHT FREEZING SPRAY TONIGHT  
INTO TOMORROW MORNING. EXPECT PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW OVER THE  
SOUTH COASTAL WATERS TONIGHT THROUGH TOMORROW MORNING,  
ESPECIALLY SOUTHEAST OF NANTUCKET.  
 
OUTLOOK /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...  
 
THURSDAY: WINDS LESS THAN 25 KT. SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN.  
 
THURSDAY NIGHT: WINDS LESS THAN 25 KT. SEAS LOCALLY APPROACHING  
5 FT.  
 
FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY: WINDS LESS THAN 25 KT.  
 
SATURDAY NIGHT: MODERATE RISK FOR SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WINDS  
WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 KT. SEAS UP TO 5 FT.  
 
SUNDAY: LOW RISK FOR SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WINDS WITH GUSTS UP  
TO 25 KT. LOCAL ROUGH SEAS.  
 
 
   
BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
CT...NONE.  
MA...COLD WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM EST WEDNESDAY FOR MAZ002-008-  
009.  
RI...NONE.  
MARINE...NONE.  
 
 
 
 
 
SYNOPSIS...LOCONTO/RM  
NEAR TERM...KJC/LOCONTO/RM  
SHORT TERM...RM  
LONG TERM...LOCONTO  
AVIATION...LOCONTO/RM  
MARINE...LOCONTO/RM  
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