Massachusetts

Flash Freeze Sets in as Winter Storm Hits New England

Several inches of snow have fallen in some areas overnight

What to Know

  • Several inches of snow have fallen across New England overnight, with most areas across southern New England having received 2 to 5 inches.
  • By dawn, warmer air will already be working up from the south, changing snow to a wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain along the coast.
  • The transition to a mix, then rain, will push past the city by mid-morning, resulting in an increased threat of power outages.

Several inches of snow have fallen across New England overnight, with most areas across southern New England having received 2 to 5 inches, with areas across central and northern New England receiving 8-plus inches.

A Flash Freeze is now occurring across interior Southern New England in places like Reading, Boston and Brockton as arctic air spills south along a coastal front that has set up across Eastern New England.

A sleet storm continues across Central and Northern Massachusetts.

We’re also seeing impacts at the coast ahead of the 10:00 a.m. high tide cycle, impacting locations like Scituate Harbor and Dorchester, where Morrissey Boulevard and Exit 14 off Interstate 93 northbound were shut down due to tidal flooding.

Several accidents were reported across the region overnight, but there were no major injuries. Some churches and schools have also announced cancellations due to the weather.

The transition to a mix, then rain, will push past the city by mid-morning. By late morning and lunch time, sleet will be falling for most of central Massachusetts into southern New Hampshire and even parts of the Maine coast.

This will result in an increased threat of power outages across these areas where already fallen heavy snow, coupled with ice and gusty winds, will add stress to trees and power lines.

Chris Besse of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency said only about 200 people in the state were without power as of Sunday morning.

"Hopefully they don't grow, but we know they may," he said. "It's something we'll be keeping an eye on throughout the day."

Heavy rain will continue through mid-morning south of Boston. All the while, winds will be gusty out of the east and southeast. At the coast, expect gusts of 40 to 50 mph, with interior gusts of 20 to 40 mph. That, combined with an astronomically high tide thanks to the full moon, will result in minor to moderate coastal flooding during the late morning cycle for east-facing coastlines.

During the afternoon, watch out for a quick shift to a northwest wind and a drop in temperatures. Precipitation may briefly go back over to sleet or snow before winding down. Everything will ice over with the temperature drop, too, so shovel early!

A likely flash freeze will impact travel into the evening as road crews scramble to re-treat roadways. If we are lucky, a few breaks in the clouds will develop in time for the total lunar eclipse on Sunday night.

Looking ahead to the start of the work week, Monday will feature brutal cold, with temperatures in the single digits above and below zero for much of the day. Winds will be strong, too, and a few snow showers will fall over the mountains. Another storm bringing a mix of rain and snow arrives for the middle of next week.

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