We are in First Alert mode this morning due to a fast-moving band of heavy rain and wind crossing southern and central New England.
Additionally, we have heavy snow in the highest elevations of Vermont, along with much of central and northern New Hampshire, and most of interior Maine, north of Augusta.
Numerous advisories, watches, and warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service. Early today we have a high-wind warning for gusts past 55 mph from the southeast. In northern New Hampshire and Maine we have a winter storm warning. Along the coast of Maine we have an ocean storm warning.
Low pressure is driving across northern New York, generating a battle zone with wind from the southwest meeting up with wind from the east and northeast right over the region. This also means the chance for thunderstorms and perhaps some thunder snow in Maine this morning.
Because it is a fast-moving system, the worst of the weather is over in southern New England by about 9 a.m. We will get breaks of sunshine as winds diminish a little bit, with gusts of 35 to 45 mph persisting, temperatures in the 40s to lower 50s mid day and early afternoon.
In Vermont, the precipitation should shut down at lower elevations, and change to snow at higher elevations this morning with a windy, cold afternoon. In southern New Hampshire and southern Maine any precipitation should end by noon if not sooner, with a windy afternoon and temperatures falling back down through the 30s. In central and northern Maine snow will continue to about sunset, this is where the greatest accumulation occurs with 12 inches possible in higher elevations.
By sunset, most of New England is windy and colder with drying weather. Damaging wind is not expected later today, but a refreeze is. Temperatures will fall through the 30s in to the 20s this evening, bottoming out in the teens and 20s for tomorrow morning.
U.S. & World
An upper-level low pressure system remains in the region tomorrow and Saturday so we see a lot of clouds each afternoon with a chance of snow showers, especially in the mountains. High temperature tomorrow will be near 40 degrees south and near 30 degrees north. For the weekend, we will still have some snow flurry activity in the mountains, but otherwise a good amount of sunshine with temperatures in the 20s north and 30s south. We will see a nice weekend at the ski slopes for leap year Saturday, and the first day of meteorological spring on Sunday, March 1.
Clouds race back in on Monday with temperatures near 40° and a chance of mixed rain and snow late in the day. We then enter a warmer and unsettled period with off and on rain Tuesday into Thursday. Rain may end as snow Wednesday night or Thursday as temperatures fall back later in our First Alert 10-Day Forecast.
