Bitter cold temperatures froze over Massachusetts on Tuesday night, leaving some areas of the state in negative temperatures by Wednesday morning.
The frigid conditions prompted the National Weather Service to issue a Cold Weather Advisory to be in effect between 12 a.m. and 10 a.m. Wednesday, and some schools to delay openings. The coldest part of the day will be between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m., according to Weather Service forecaster Rob Megnia.
“It’s a lot of single-digit temperatures in the eastern part of the state, and the further north and west you go is where we’re getting those temperatures below zero,” Megnia said.
As of 6 a.m. Wednesday, the coldest town in the state was Orange at minus 14 degrees — and it could feel even colder with windchill dragging temperatures down to minus 17 degrees, Megnia said.
Westfield and Chicopee weren’t far behind Orange, as each clocked a minus 10 degree temperature on Wednesday morning. Other below-freezing temperatures in the state included Bedford at minus six degrees and Fitchburg at minus three, Megnia said.
Over on the eastern side, Boston was just 10 degrees above zero on Wednesday morning. Beverly recorded three degree weather and Plymouth was at six degrees before 7 a.m.
These temperatures have the possibility to dip further before sunrise, Megnia said.
And despite the sunshine expected, “it’s still going to be very cold” and “below normal for this time of year” on Wednesday, Megnia said. High temperatures will struggle to get out of the teens with a rang of 15 to 20 degrees, with coastal areas reaching low 20s.
For the rest of the week, forecasters expect temperatures to stay well below freezing until the afternoon of Sunday, Jan. 26, Megnia said.
Saturday night may be the first time temperatures pass single digits overnight in days, and temperatures are expected to “moderate this weekend, back closer to normal,” Megnia said.
