Get ready for some rapidly shifting and intense weather the next couple days, Massachusetts.
A foggy Tuesday morning is expected to be followed by a stormy but warm Wednesday, and that night, high winds could cause power outages across the state, according to the National Weather Service. A cold front is predicted to follow the storm, causing a coating of snow in some places Thursday morning, but a chilly Thursday is then expected to give way to another warm day on Friday.
“It’s getting to that time of the year — this is like more of a springtime weather system where we have pretty strong storms developing,” weather service forecaster Andy Nash said. “They bring in the warm air and then they’ll pass by and bring in the cold air. It’s that typical kind of variability.”
If you’re — understandably — having trouble keeping up, the biggest thing to watch out for is going to be high winds Wednesday night. Residents in Western and Southeastern Massachusetts should be most on guard, according to the weather service.
Western and Southeastern Massachusetts have a high wind watch and wind advisory overnight Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.National Weather Service
Damaging winds
The most intense winds are expected west of I-91, where a high wind watch is in effect from 7 p.m. Wednesday to 7 p.m. Thursday. West to northwest winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 60 mph are expected during this time.
“The strongest winds will be in the wake of the cold frontal passage Wednesday night when gusts up to 60 mph are possible. Winds of 40 to 50 mph are expected during Thursday,” the weather service wrote.
Residents in this area are advised to fasten loose outdoor objects and shelter in a safe location before the high winds start, the weather service said. Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines, and widespread power outages are possible. Additionally, travel could be difficult, especially for tall vehicles.
The weather service has also issued a wind advisory for all of the Massachusetts coast and all of southeastern Massachusetts from 3 p.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. Thursday. Southwest winds of 25 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph are expected, and they could blow around unsecured objects and tree limbs.
This area of the state could also experience a few power outages, according to the weather service. Residents are advised to secure outdoor objects prior to the storm and use caution when driving during the storm, especially if their vehicle is tall.
The highest winds are expected in Western and Southeastern Massachusetts overnight Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.National Weather Service
Temperatures and skies
Fog in some parts of the state Tuesday morning is expected to give way to a cloudier day in Eastern Massachusetts and a sunnier day in Central and Western Massachusetts, according to the weather service. Temperatures are predicted to reach the mid to high 50s during the day Tuesday before dropping into the high 40s overnight.
Most of the state isn’t expected to see the rain begin until 9 or 10 p.m. Tuesday night, but the precipitation is predicted to last through 7 or 8 a.m. on Thursday, according to the weather service. As the cold front hits Wednesday night, the rain may turn to snow, but no more than a coating is expected anywhere, and Nash predicts that Massachusetts will only see an inch or two of rain.
“From tomorrow to tomorrow evening, there’ll be periods of showers and some will briefly be heavy,” he said. “We’re not expecting so much rain that it’s going to cause any flooding. It’s been dry recently.”
Temperatures on Wednesday are expected to be warm again, with highs across the state in the mid to upper 50s, according to the weather service. Wednesday night’s cold front is predicted to rapidly pull temperatures down into the mid 20s Wednesday night.
Thursday is expected to be colder, with highs in the low to mid 30s, according to the weather service. But after lows in the mid 20s that night, Friday is predicted to be sunny and warm, with highs in the mid 40s across Massachusetts.
