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Here’s what Dave Epstein is saying about ‘the most significant winter storm to strike Boston’ in about 4 years
"We will see bands of heavy snow with rates of 1 to 3 inches of snow per hour overnight Sunday."
We are just over three days away from the most significant winter storm to strike Boston and Southern New England in just about four years. A 6-inch or greater major storm is highly likely, and I think there’s going to be a wide swath of at least 8 to 16 inches for many of us. But keep in mind, those numbers can also change.
First of all, this storm is occurring on a Sunday and we have plenty of notice. Most of the heavy snow is forecast to fall Sunday afternoon and especially Sunday night into early Monday. I think it’s highly likely that schools will be closed on Monday and that many of you will be working from home.
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The storm will bring heavy snow. Where exactly the heaviest snow bands set up will need to be worked out in the coming days, but we will see bands of heavy snow with rates of 1 to 3 inches of snow per hour overnight Sunday. It is below these bands that areas could get over a foot of snow. Even if you’re not in the snow bands, a 6-inch or greater storm, as I said, is likely, and there could be a wide swath of at least 8 to 16 inches for many areas.
There’s going to be some tweaking to snow amounts as well as the start and stop times of the storm itself.
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There are several things it will not bring that are important. The storm will not bring freezing rain or ice. Temperatures in the atmosphere are going to be just too cold for that kind of precipitation. If there is going to be any mixing with ice or sleet, it’s likely to occur over Cape Cod and the Islands, and that aspect of the storm still needs to be refined.
One way to think of it is that it’s going to be a classic major snowstorm. If you moved to Boston since March of 2022, you haven’t seen this kind of storm.
Because the snow will be mostly light and fluffy, power outages are not likely. The exception may be over the Cape and Islands, where the snow looks like it will end up being heavier and wetter.
Early storm timeline
The cold on Saturday will set the stage for this snow event. Temperatures will be in the teens with bitter cold wind chills and plenty of sunshine.
Sunday — When you get up on Sunday, the skies will already be clouding over.
If you need to do errands on Sunday, the morning will be the best time. The snow should arrive in the afternoon. Again, the timing will be refined in the coming days. It will snow particularly hard on Sunday night. I would not recommend traveling overnight on Sunday, even plow operators may have to pull over for a time during the heaviest snow bands.
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Although not likely, there may be even be thunder snow in those heavy snow bands overnight.
Monday — A dry slot that will cause a lull in the precipitation is likely early Monday. This occurs when drier air from about 10,000 feet is pulled into the storm. There is likely to be some additional accumulating snow during the day on Monday, but it will not be as heavy. This will be an opportunity to clean up, but final flakes may not occur until late in the afternoon or early evening.
Arctic cold temperatures, wind chills
One of the bigger challenges with cleaning up is going to be the cold temperatures, especially over the interior. It will be in the single digits Sunday morning, then warming into the teens Sunday afternoon. Temperatures likely stay in the teens throughout the storm over the interior. They may warm up temporarily to the 20s to near 30 in Greater Boston, but then fall back by early Monday.
So the snow will be mostly very light and fluffy, easily movable, but you will need to bundle up and your hands will need a good pair of gloves while you’re cleaning up.
For New England, Tuesday brings back sunshine with temperatures still below average, only reaching the 20s in the afternoon. With the sunshine and the fresh snow cover, sunglasses will be the big order of that day. Cross-country skis and snowshoes will also be very usable next week.
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