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Arctic blast sinks wind chills to a dangerously cold zero to 15 below
Actual high temperatures will only reach the upper teens to around 20 degrees in the Boston area.
A blast of Arctic air is bringing cold weather to New England over the next several days. Wind chill values in the mornings are going to be 0 to 15 below, with the coldest areas across the hillier terrain of Worcester County and the Berkshires.
Actual high temperatures will only reach the upper teens to around 20 degrees in the Boston area. If you live in Fitchburg or Leominster and other points north of Worcester this morning, there is a cold weather advisory for the first few hours after sunrise due to the low wind chills. If it were colder, we would have an extreme cold warning, but these conditions are not that serious.
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For those of you thinking of taking advantage of the fresh snow up north, temperatures in Northern New England will only be around 10 degrees in the afternoon Tuesday and Wednesday and start below zero each morning.
Yes it’s cold outside this morning, frostbite not an issue before over 30 min on EXPOSED skin. Recess usually lasts <30 minute, takes place mid-morning/afternoon, less cold then. As long as kids have jackets & hats etc. the cold isn’t dangerous. If running around, great exercise! pic.twitter.com/3sIVV8gTo2
— Dave Epstein (@growingwisdom) January 21, 2025
On a positive note, our sunrises are getting earlier and the sunsets continue to get later. The position of the sun is now similar to what it would be on Nov. 21.
It’s been about two years since we saw a strong blast of Arctic air and while it is going to be cold for the next several days, it won’t be as cold as it was in February of 2023 when damage occurred to the stone fruit crop and many of our early flowering trees and shrubs. That cold was more unusual; this cold is more typical.
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Tonight and early Wednesday, an ocean storm will throw enough moisture toward Cape Cod to deliver a coating to a couple of inches for Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard as well as the Outer Cape. This will be clearing out for Wednesday.
The surge of Arctic air this week is also impacting areas west to the Rockies and south to Texas and even parts of Central and Northern Florida. Folks across the Gulf Coast will be dealing with snow and ice today in what could turn out to be one of the largest winter systems on record for that part of the country.
It will turn less cold for the end of the work week, perhaps trending back toward normal cold temperatures later this week.
Another storm system will pass well to the east of the Atlantic Seaboard on Friday. If the upper-level winds turn a little more northerly that system could approach and bring a few clouds and maybe some snow showers but there is a very small chance and right now it looks like that system just scoots safely out to sea.
Tuesday’s breakdown
Southern New England: Plenty of sunshine today with temperatures rising toward 20 in the afternoon. Some clouds will increase before clearing back out overnight with readings down in the single numbers and sunny skies Wednesday with highs approaching 20.
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Western Mass.: Temperatures start near zero this morning and only reach 10 to 15 this afternoon. Many areas go slightly below zero tonight before reaching back near 10 degrees on Wednesday with sunshine.
Cape and Islands: There will be quite a few clouds today with temperatures 20 to 25 degrees. Skies clear tonight with readings down in the single numbers. Sunshine will boost temperatures to near 20 on Wednesday.
Northern New England: Cold weather advisories are in place for the mountains with temperatures in the single digits this afternoon but will approach 20 at the coastline. Look for readings within a few degrees of zero overnight with sunshine tomorrow and temperatures in the teens.
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