Boston residents should prepare for a wet, windy Thursday‑Friday as a coastal low deepens into a nor’easter that will sweep across New England. NBC Boston warned that the system will bring steady rain with gusts up to 40 mph along the coast on Friday, followed by 30‑35 mph gusts Saturday, though no coastal flooding is expected.
Temperatures will hover in the upper 40s to low 50s on Thursday, dropping into the 40s on Friday – the first high in the 40s all season, according to CBS News. The cooler air will allow a few wet snowflakes to mix in, especially at higher elevations. Boston itself is expected to see about a half‑inch of rain‑snow mix, with little to no accumulation on city streets.
The Boston Globe noted that the highest elevations of western and central Massachusetts, including the Berkshires and the Worcester Hills, could receive two to three inches of wet snow, with isolated spots on the highest terrain seeing three to six inches. Route 2 west of I‑495 may see a coating of up to two inches, while the interior of the Berkshires could see three inches.
For the Greater Boston area, the storm will arrive late Thursday afternoon, just before the evening commute, and continue through Friday night. Light snow and rain will begin in western Massachusetts early Thursday, spreading eastward. By Friday morning, the coldest air will funnel south, offering the best chance for snowflakes to mix with rain as far south as the Mass Pike and the I‑495 to I‑95 corridor, though any snow is expected to melt quickly on the ground.
Both NBC Boston and CBS News emphasized that the precipitation will be light overall, with the Euro model suggesting a more modest total than other models. The primary concern is the gusty winds and slick roads in the interior, where a thin coating of snow could make travel hazardous.
What’s next: The storm should taper off Saturday morning, leaving Boston with mostly rain‑slicked streets and temperatures in the mid‑40s. A brief period of sunshine is expected later in the weekend, and forecasters predict a milder, drier week ahead, allowing residents to recover from the brief disruption.
Sources: nbcboston.com, cbsnews.com, bostonglobe.com
