417  
FXUS61 KBOX 161141  
AFDBOX  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOSTON/NORTON MA  
641 AM EST THU JAN 16 2025  
   
SYNOPSIS
 
 
A WEAK LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BRING A PERIOD OF LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS  
TONIGHT...MAINLY FOR AREAS NEAR THE SOUTH COAST, CAPE AND ISLANDS.  
TEMPERATURES THEN MODERATE FRIDAY AND ESPECIALLY BY SATURDAY AHEAD  
OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. THIS COLD FRONT WILL BRING A PERIOD OF  
MAINLY RAIN SHOWERS LATER SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY EVENING. DRY  
WEATHER SHOULD PREVAIL FOR THE FIRST PART OF SUNDAY...BUT A WAVE OF  
LOW PRESSURE WILL LIKELY BRING A PERIOD OF SNOW OR RAIN CHANGING TO  
SNOW LATE SUNDAY INTO EARLY MONDAY. THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY AN  
ARCTIC OUTBREAK LATER MONDAY INTO WEDNESDAY WITH BELOW ZERO WIND  
CHILLS.  
 

 
   
NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/
 
 
KEY MESSAGES...  
 
* ANOTHER COOLER DAY WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES SLIGHTLY BELOW  
NORMAL  
 
* A FEW FLURRIES ACROSS THE OUTER-CAPE  
 
QUIET MORNING WITH CHILLY TEMPERATURES. STATIONS ACROSS THE  
HIGHER SPOTS IN WEST AND CENTRAL MA HAVE OBSERVED TEMPERATURES  
IN THE SINGLE DIGITS. LIGHT OCEAN EFFECT SHOWERS ORIENT ACROSS  
THE CAPE BRINGING FLURRIES TO LIGHT SNOW OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF  
HOURS.  
 
IT WILL BE A QUIET WEATHER DAY TODAY ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW  
ENGLAND. THE 850MB TEMPERATURE ANOMALIES SHOW THE BELOW NORMAL  
AIRMASS LINGERING OVER THE REGION BRINGING ANOTHER DAY OF  
SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL HIGHS. HIGHS RANGE IN THE UPPER 20S TO LOW  
30S. A MID-LEVEL TROUGH APPROACHES FROM THE WEST TODAY KEEPING  
WINDS LIGHT SW ACROSS THE REGION. A FEW FLURRIES ACROSS THE  
OUTER CAPE ARE POSSIBLE.  
 

 
   
SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/
 
 
335 PM UPDATE  
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
* SCATTERED FLURRIES/LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS MAINLY ALONG THE SOUTH  
COAST THURSDAY NIGHT.  
 
TONIGHT:  
 
A MID-LEVEL TROUGH PUSHES EASTWARD THIS EVENING. SYNOPTIC  
SUPPORT WILL BE LIMITED, BUT WILL BRING A PERIOD OF WEAK ASCENT.  
MOISTURE WILL BE LIMITED AS WELL, BUT ENOUGH TO SUPPORT LIGHT  
SNOW SHOWERS. HREF GUIDANCE SHOWS SHOWERS DEVELOPING IN THE  
6-8PM TIMEFRAME THIS EVENING. OVERALL THE HIGHER PROBABILITIES  
FOR GETTING SNOW SHOWERS WILL BE ACROSS THE CAPE AND ISLANDS.  
ELSEWHERE WILL SEE LOWER CHANCES (< 35%) FOR SCATTERED SHOWERS  
OR FLURRIES. AMOUNTS WILL LIKELY RANGE FROM A TRACE TO A HALF AN  
INCH. THE HREF LPMM HIGHLIGHTS A BAND OF HIGHER AMOUNTS(1-2")  
ORIENTED ACROSS THE ISLANDS, PARTICULARLY NANTUCKET. LIKELY  
PICKING UP ON OCEAN ENHANCEMENT, SO THIS IS A POSSIBILITY  
DEPENDING ON WHERE THE BANDED ENHANCEMENT SETS UP. FOR MOST  
AREAS, SHOWERS DECREASE BY MIDNIGHT. HOWEVER, SHOWERS MAY STICK  
AROUND LONGER ACROSS THE CAPE AND ISLANDS. BY SUNRISE, SHOWERS  
SHOULD DIMINISH.  
 
FRIDAY:  
 
A MID-LEVEL RIDGE MOVES IN FRIDAY, PUSHING OUT THE COOLER  
AIRMASS. 850MB TEMPERATURES RISE SEVERAL DEGREES FROM THURSDAY  
RESULTING IN THE START TO THE BRIEF WARM-UP THIS WEEKEND. HIGHS  
WILL BE MORE SEASONABLE IN THE MID 30S TO LOW 40S.  
 

 
   
LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/
 
 
KEY MESSAGES...  
 
* TURNING MILDER/BREEZY SAT WITH HIGHS WELL INTO THE 40S/NEAR 50  
* A ROUND OF RAIN SHOWERS LATER SAT INTO SAT EVENING  
* PERIOD OF SNOW OR RAIN CHANGING TO SNOW LATE SUN INTO EARLY MON  
* ARCTIC OUTBREAK LATER MON INTO WED WITH BELOW ZERO WIND CHILLS  
 
DETAILS...  
 
SATURDAY...  
 
A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE OFF THE MID-ATLANTIC COAST WILL CONTINUE TO  
MOVE FURTHER EAST AND AWAY FROM THE REGION SAT. AT THE SAME TIME...A  
COLD FRONT WILL BE APPROACHING FROM THE WEST. THIS WILL RESULT IN  
THE DEVELOPMENT OF GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS. 925T MODERATE TO ABOVE 0C  
AND WITH GOOD MIXING EXPECT HIGHS TO REACH WELL INTO THE 40S TO NEAR  
50 DESPITE AN ABUNDANCE OF CLOUDS. THE BEST CHANCE OF REACHING 50  
WILL BE ON THE COASTAL PLAIN. WE THINK THE SHOWER THREAT WILL HOLD  
OFF UNTIL MID-LATE AFTERNOON.  
 
AS THE SHORTWAVE AND ASSOCIATED PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH APPROACHES FROM  
THE WEST THE FORCING FOR ASCENT WILL INCREASE LATER SAT INTO SAT  
EVENING. THINKING IS THAT A PERIOD OF RAIN SHOWERS IS MOST LIKELY IN  
THE MID-LATE AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING HOURS. PTYPE WILL GENERALLY  
BE ALL LIQUID GIVEN THE WARM BOUNDARY LAYER TEMPS. PERHAPS A TOUCH  
OF WET SNOW ACROSS THE HIGHEST TERRAIN ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE  
BERKS...BUT LITTLE IF AN ACCUMULATION/IMPACTS EXPECTED.  
 
SUNDAY INTO MONDAY...  
 
ALTHOUGH THE COLD FRONT WILL HAVE CROSSED THE REGION BY DAYBREAK  
SUN...IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME FOR THE COLDER AIR TO WORK INTO THE  
REGION. SO WE EXPECT HIGHS TO REACH THE UPPER 30S TO THE MIDDLE 40S  
ON SUN WITH THE MILDEST OF THOSE READINGS IN THE RI/SE MA REGION.  
THE FIRST PART OF SUN WILL BE DRY WITH PARTIAL SUNSHINE...BUT THAT  
WILL LIKELY CHANGE LATER SUN INTO EARLY MON WHICH WE WILL DISCUSS  
BELOW.  
 
THE MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE WILL REVOLVE AROUND AN ANAFRONTAL WAVE  
OF LOW PRESSURE THAT WILL DEVELOP IN THE COLD FRONT. THIS WILL  
LIKELY BRING A PERIOD OF SNOW OR RAIN CHANGING TO SNOW LATE SUN INTO  
EARLY MON. THERE IS STILL CONSIDERABLE SPREAD ON HOW CLOSE THIS WAVE  
OF LOW PRESSURE TRACKS IN THE VICINITY OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. THE  
CMC MODEL SEEMS TO BE A WEST OUTLIER...WHILE THE ECMWF IS MORE OF AN  
EAST OUTLIER. THAT BEING SAID...MOST OF THE 00Z GUIDANCE SUITE  
INDICATES AT LEAST A PERIOD OF SNOW OR RAIN CHANGING TO SNOW OVER  
THIS TIME PERIOD FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THE REGION. WHILE THIS DOES  
NOT LOOK LIKE A MAJOR STORM...ACCUMULATING SNOW IS CERTAINLY  
POSSIBLE FOR SOME LOCATIONS.  
 
LATER MONDAY INTO WEDNESDAY...  
 
THE GEFS/EPS/CMC ENSEMBLES ARE IN VERY GOOD AGREEMENT IN AN ARCTIC  
OUTBREAK LATER MON INTO WED. A -EPO WILL RESULT IN STRONG RIDGING  
INTO NORTHWEST CANADA AND ALASKA...ALLOWING FOR THE DELIVERY OF  
ARCTIC AIR ACROSS THE CENTRAL/EASTERN U.S. GIVEN CROSS POLAR FLOW.  
850T DROP TO BETWEEN -24C/-25C ACROSS THE REGION. THIS WILL RESULT  
IN OVERNIGHT LOWS MAINLY IN THE SINGLE DIGITS MON NIGHT AND TUE  
NIGHT WITH SOME BELOW ZERO READINGS POSSIBLE TOO. HIGHS TUE AND WED  
MAY NOT REACH 20 IN MANY LOCATIONS. WIND CHILLS WILL CERTAINLY DROP  
BELOW ZERO AND WE PROBABLY WILL EVENTUALLY NEED TO ISSUE COLD  
WEATHER ADVISORIES.  
 

 
   
AVIATION /12Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/
 
 
FORECAST CONFIDENCE LEVELS:  
 
LOW - LESS THAN 30 PERCENT.  
MODERATE - 30 TO 60 PERCENT.  
HIGH - GREATER THAN 60 PERCENT.  
 
12Z TAF UPDATE...  
 
TODAY...HIGH CONFIDENCE.  
 
VFR. LIGHT W/WSW WINDS BECOMING SW AT 5-10 KNOTS. MID-LEVEL  
CEILINGS MOVE IN BY EARLY AFTERNOON.  
 
TONIGHT...MEDIUM CONFIDENCE (SNOW CHANCES)  
 
LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS DEVELOP THIS EVENING, MAINLY AFTER 00Z WITH  
THE HIGHER PROBABILITIES FOR THE SOUTH COAST, CAPE, AND  
ESPECIALLY ACK. THIS WILL BRING MVFR CEILINGS TO THE SOUTH  
COAST/CAPE AND ISLANDS. CAN'T RULE OUT BRIEF LOCALIZED IFR  
CONDITIONS WITH THE BEST CHANCE AT ACK...WHERE UP TO AN INCH OR  
SO OF SNOW ACCUMULATION WILL BE POSSIBLE. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR  
SCATTERED LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS/FLURRIES FOR THE OTHER TERMINALS  
WITH BRIEF MVFR POSSIBLE IN ANY SNOW SHOWERS.  
 
SHOWERS DIMINISH BEFORE MIDNIGHT FOR MOST AREAS WITH THE  
EXCEPTION OF CAPE/ISLANDS. LIGHT SW WINDS BECOMING NW.  
 
FRIDAY...HIGH CONFIDENCE.  
 
VFR. NW WINDS 5-10 KNOTS.  
 
KBOS TAF...MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IN TAF.  
 
LIGHT SW WINDS TODAY 5-10 KTS. TONIGHT, THERE IS A CHANCE FOR  
LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS OR FLURRIES AFTER 00Z. GIVEN THE LOWER  
PROBABILITIES, MESSAGED AS A PROB30 FOR -SHSN THROUGH 04Z. WINDS  
BECOME LIGHT NW AFTER 06Z.  
 
KBDL TAF...HIGH CONFIDENCE IN TAF.  
 
OUTLOOK /SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...  
 
FRIDAY NIGHT: VFR. BREEZY.  
 
SATURDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT: MAINLY VFR, WITH LOCAL IFR  
POSSIBLE. BREEZY. CHANCE SHRA.  
 
SUNDAY: VFR. BREEZY. CHANCE RA, CHANCE SN.  
 
SUNDAY NIGHT: VFR. BREEZY. CHANCE SN.  
 
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY: VFR. BREEZY. SLIGHT CHANCE SN.  
 

 
   
MARINE
 
 
FORECASTER CONFIDENCE LEVELS:  
 
LOW - LESS THAN 30 PERCENT.  
MEDIUM - 30 TO 60 PERCENT.  
HIGH- GREATER THAN 60 PERCENT.  
 
HIGH CONFIDENCE.  
 
WINDS CONTINUE TO DIMINISH THIS MORNING. THE CURRENT PROJECTION  
THAT SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES WILL BE ABLE TO BE DISCONTINUED (BY  
7AM) LOOK TO BE ON TRACK. GENERALLY LIGHT WINDS (15KT AND LESS)  
ARE EXPECTED THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY.  
 
OUTLOOK /SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...  
 
FRIDAY NIGHT: WINDS LESS THAN 25 KT.  
 
SATURDAY: MODERATE RISK FOR SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WINDS WITH  
GUSTS UP TO 30 KT. AREAS OF SEAS APPROACHING 5 FT. CHANCE OF  
RAIN SHOWERS.  
 
SATURDAY NIGHT: LOW RISK FOR SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WINDS WITH  
GUSTS UP TO 25 KT. AREAS OF SEAS APPROACHING 5 FT. RAIN SHOWERS  
LIKELY.  
 
SUNDAY: WINDS LESS THAN 25 KT. AREAS OF ROUGH SEAS. CHANCE OF  
RAIN.  
 
SUNDAY NIGHT: WINDS LESS THAN 25 KT. ROUGH SEAS UP TO 9 FT.  
CHANCE OF SNOW, RAIN.  
 
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY: LOW RISK FOR SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY  
WINDS WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 KT. ROUGH SEAS UP TO 8 FT. FREEZING  
SPRAY, SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW.  
 

 
   
BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
CT...NONE.  
MA...NONE.  
RI...NONE.  
MARINE...NONE.  
 

 
 

 
 
SYNOPSIS...FRANK/MENSCH  
NEAR TERM...MENSCH  
SHORT TERM...MENSCH  
LONG TERM...FRANK  
AVIATION...FRANK/MENSCH  
MARINE...FRANK/MENSCH  
 
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